The opposite of trust is distrust.  Fear breeds distrust.  Cast a light on fear and it will gradually diminish.  The longer the light shines on it, the smaller the fear will be until eventually it gives way to a healthy sense of trust.  In the last post, I discussed one way of building trust and that is to increase awareness of limiting beliefs.  Once we develop that awareness, we can start to break down our fears.

For example, if you fear insufficient sources of organically grown foods, you might initiate dialogue with others in your community on reliable sources and then begin to research them one by one.  As you build awareness of the “who, what, where and hows” of  trusted suppliers, you might become inspired to experiment with your own home garden.  There are few things more rewarding in life than growing your own food and enjoying the harvests of your labour.  It is a win-win since not only does your health benefit, your friends and neighbours benefit if you have a bumper crop and the world benefits with increased sustainability.  Cast a light on fear and be open to the surprises that unfold as you grow through living!

Trust is an important part of healthy living.  When we trust ourselves, others and the world around us, we are able to live fully in the moment and appreciate all aspects of our life.  We accept it without conditions and surrender to the moment with a wonderful sense of peace and contentment.

How do we get to this place of peace?  We begin by assessing our current level of trust.  Ask yourself the following questions and answer them as honestly as you can.  What are my current thoughts about myself, important relationships, my work and the world in general?  Begin with “I feel . . . ” and complete the sentence for each area.  You may want to discuss it with a close friend or even write a story from your current perspective.  If you choose to write, allow your thoughts to flow freely on paper unedited.  Don’t worry about grammar or punctuation, just write to get clarity and uncover your truths.

Review your story objectively and look for positive and negative words or statements that reflect your level of trust.  Read your written words as if you were your own best friend providing objective feedback .  If you find your level of trust is low in any of the areas, consider why it is low, what beliefs support this and who may have influenced this view of yours.

As you complete this exercise, look back to the last two posts titled ‘Testing your Beliefs‘ (revised 2/8/13) and ‘Dualistic Thinking‘.  Envision many doors and viewpoints available for you to explore.  Know that building trust begins with you and open awareness of possibilities.  Free your mind of limited thinking and trust the best is yet to come.  You will be glad you did!

We make choices everyday.  Sometimes we believe there are only two choices to make: the right one or the wrong one, the good one or the bad one.  This type of black and white thinking is called dualistic thinking.  It involves limited thinking though since it ignores the vast grey area of options in between.  Dualistic thinking makes life more difficult as there is no room for compromise or negotiating alternatives.

Dualistic thinking can be detrimental to relationships since it offers only two doors to choose from.  The remaining doors are not visible as they are obscured by a narrow focus.  Try to keep this vision in your mind the next time you feel there are limited choices.  Relax your mind, envision the other doors with alternate solutions.  Ask yourself what is behind each door and which doors offer the best solutions.  Open your mind to the possibilities that exist and seek a win-win with every decision you make!

Beliefs are unique to each person.  Where did they come from?  Many are derived from authoritative figures in childhood such as family members, teachers and influential people in our community.  As impressionable young children, we take on beliefs without question and live by them until we see otherwise.

Fast forward to today as fully grown adults, we would all benefit from testing these old beliefs to see if they are true or not.  Often they are not.  For example, if a parent or teacher criticized our work in a harsh way, we may hold the belief that we are poor writers, bad artists, or incapable problem solvers, etc.  Be open to testing these old beliefs and creating a new and evolved you!  In the next few post, discover how limited thinking impacts all of our relationships and experiences in life.

February is the month of valentines, red hearts and everything sweet and rosy!  Give yourself and a friend the gift love by signing up for Mind Master’s newest workshop: “Peas in a Pod! Great Relationships“.

Imagine emulating those merry little green vegetables nestled in a pod.  Imagine living and growing together in a healthy manner as they do.  Imagine all of your relationships, personal and professional, being positive, joyful and rewarding.  Does this sound too good to be true?  Is it possible?  Find out for yourself and attend 2 hours of scintillating discussion that will inspire you to create positive change!  Each participant will have an opportunity to create a personalized action plan they can apply to their life immediately.  What are you waiting for?  Cupid’s arrow is aimed directly at you!  Click here to register.

Note:  Following last Sunday’s Walk for Memories, I am pleased to announce that $30,000 was raised to support the Alzheimer’s Society and thousands of people affected by the disease.  Bravo!  A big thanks to everyone who brought sunshine to a cold, wet winter day!

The Alzheimer Society of BC is hosting  “Walk for Memories” at Rocky Point Park in Port Moody, this coming Sunday, January 27, 2013 from 1 – 3 pm.  Join me in honoring Jim Boileau and over 70,000 other people affected by dementia.  Jim, this year’s honouree began volunteering at the age of 14 for the New Westminster fire department in 1945.  This led to his 42 year career at the Port Coquitlam Fire Department.   Wow!!

It is an honor for me to volunteer for this event and contribute to this very important cause that brings families, friends and community together at the beautiful Shoreline Trail.  Drop by to say hello and make some new friends along the way.  Each of us can make a difference and together, we can make a really BIG difference!

Register on-site or register on-line.  I look forward to seeing you there!

Resources are everywhere.  We just have to open our eyes to seeing them.  This means bringing awareness to your intentions.  Ask yourself the following 3 questions; “What do I have today that will help me achieve my goal?”  “What else do I need?”  “Where can I get what I am missing?”

Often there are more resources available than you realize.  Simple enquiries will lead you to missing pieces you seek.  Perhaps it will be a person, event or an organization that you were not previously aware of.  Connections reveal themselves in the most magical ways, once you start asking.

For example, if your goal is to eat healthier, you might ask friends and colleagues what resources they use.  Getting fresh ideas is always inspiring and the odds are that you will find an important piece of information that will ignite your process.  Maybe it will be a highly regarded cooking class or nutritionist who offers wonderful insights.  Be open to what comes your way and be prepared to try new things as you step closer to realizing your goal!

Take full responsibility for your goal.  This is your life and you have the power to create positive change for yourself.  Whether you aspire to travel across the world, eat healthier or simply have more time to relax; your commitment and focus is imperative for success.

Perseverance is the key.  Uphold a high degree of integrity for yourself.  Do what you say you are going to do.  Honor yourself and commit to fulfilling your goal.  When you do this, not only will you feel proud of your accomplishments, you will also be more confident when you set out to conquer your next goal!

Envision success!  Using your imagination, picture yourself having achieved your desired goal.  What are you doing? . . . What does it feel like? . . . What is in your surroundings? . . .  Is anyone with you?  Create a detailed image of what success looks like for you.

Now ‘cement’ your image.  Write it down on a piece of paper or index card and post it in a highly visible location.  If possible, collect photographs or images that support your vision.  For instance, if your goal is to do volunteer work in another country, you might create a collage with pictures from the host country and images of people doing the type of work you aspire to do.  Imagery is a very powerful tool that conditions your subconscious to bring ideas to reality!

Mind Master is pleased to announce its newest workshop for January: “Eat Play Love!”  Join delicious conversations that are sure to stimulate your senses and inspire you to make positive changes for 2013!  Experience a taste of psychology while exploring the what, why and how of eating and discover essential strategies for optimal wellness.  Although this workshop does not include nutritional advice, it does cover tips for healthy eating habits in today’s hectic world.  Practice a healthy sense of play as you engage your inner child to alleviate daily stresses.  Discover the keys to unconditional love and unlock the secrets behind effective journalling  and achieving inner peace.  Eat Play Love! may well be the catalyst for 2013 being your best year ever!

This workshop will be held on Tuesday, January 22, 2013,  from 7 – 9 pm at the Coquitlam campus of Douglas College.  Register now as space is limited to 12 participants for maximum benefits!