What Game Are You Playing?

Heard a profound message today about the game of Monopoly which really for me is a societal symbol of the "Game of Life."

We start out with nothing and we spend the whole time playing the game with hope, desire, strategy, need, greed, excess, and acquisition.  We hustle, work, dream, manifest, gather, possess, conquer and if we are lucky and or skilled we win.  Whether we admit it or not we all want to land on, own and monopolize Park Place. And no matter how many apartments and houses there are on St. Charles Place it never is good enough because we can't stop thinking about the money we'd collect if those houses and apartments were on Boardwalk. When the game is over we scoop it all up and put it back in the box because after all "it" was here before we got here, it will be here when we are gone. The truth is it was never ours anyway...it was all an illusion



Isn't this true about our lives? We come into the world perfectly imperfect having everything we need to survive, hopefully thrive and live our lives.  Yet some where in the journey it isn't enough.  We want more, we think we need more and we use every fiber of our being to acquire more. The brainwashing begins early from Cinderella, to Snow White to the TV advertisements that subliminally convert us into commercial zombies who never get full and are always on the prowl for the next thing to conquer and devour.

Minute by minute, day by day and year after year this thing called media has consumed us in ways we are oblivious to.  What "they" say (experts, critics, leaders, spokespeople, researchers etc.) seems to have far more credence than our innate knowing of what we need. I've chosen to unsubscribe to the overload and overwhelming message that bombard us every where we turn. I limit the amount of messaging coming in from a variety of sources and it allows me to go inward and listen to the messages I really need to hear.

When I really think about the game of Monopoly I can see how it's intent and motive has been embedded in our minds and souls. It's kind of sad actually yet we have the power to do something about it. We have the choice to play a new game. If you stop and look at the industry you work in you can see who is playing Monopoly very clearly.  You can hear it in their tone, you can sense it in their messaging and if you are in their presence over the phone or in person you can feel it in your bones. I challenge you to become more aware of this Monopoly mentality and how it shows up in your life and the people you run with. You may even need to ask yourself the question "What kind of game are you playing in life?"

Reality hit for me today again...at the end of the day, when our time is up here on earth it all goes back into the box. I've already started to play a new game and boy does it feel liberating and peaceful. Yes I want to live a good life.  I want to be paid to do work I love. I want to help people and live in my version of prosperity but not at the sake of selling my soul, being dishonest, excluding others, and or compromising my core values. So as I blaze a new trail of spiritual enlightenment I'll continue to share with you the aha moments along the way.  Little nuggets of insight that might inspire you to find the courage to break away from the pack, resist the hype and follow the voice of your soul.  

Until next time...be brave, be bold, be fearless and just be YOU!

Catrice M. Jackson

Empowerment Speaker

Fear-Free Living Expert and Author

www.theartoffearfreeliving.com

www.catriceology.com

Mindset Does Not Trump the Power of a God Lesson

What I am about to say may ruffle the feathers of some of the mindset and Law of Attraction (LOA) coaches and experts out there....but....here we go!

Let me start with a disclaimer first... I believe in all the mindset and LOA theories, philosophy, concepts and strategies. I've used many of them myself to think my way out of doubt and fears, to attract opportunities, to open doors and move from stagnation and excuses to inspired action.  Yet...I've experienced something more deep and spiritually profound. I've experienced the power of God moving and directing my life in ways I did not imagine or desire yet I am grateful for these soul awakening experiences.

So let me start ruffling the feathers...

When God the ultimate teacher, the beginning and the end and the source of all abundance and manifestation steps in and picks up the pen that writes your life story there is no mindset strategy or LOA technique that can overwrite the power of God's pen.  We are all on a spiritual journey and our purpose here on earth is grander than coaching, speaking, marketing and working our businesses. Our purpose is divine and we were chosen to be here for a spiritual mission. 

Sometimes we lose focus of why we are here.  Sometimes we let self get in the way of God's divine plan for our lives. Some times we, as my grandmother would say, get too BIG for our britches. We begin to think "I did this, I created this, I control this, I can do this and that......and we forget why and how WE are able to do all that we do. In other words we let our ego take the driver's seat and put God in the passenger's seat.  This is the perfect recipe for a life disaster and certainly the way to accelerate a soul collision.

We just like men and women in the bible will experience trials and tribulations. We'll encounter defeat, despair and doubt and we may even experience what I call valley moments; times of darkness, uncertainty and confusion. These too are part of God's classroom--the place and space where he teaches us some of the most important and profound lessons we will ever learn.  How do I know because I've been in the valley many times and no matter what mindset strategy or LOA tactic I tried God whispered "I am in control so get out of the driver's seat and let me do what I do best." Sure these man-made strategies can alleviate some of the stress in the struggle and they can give us hope for better days but what I know for sure is that class is not dismissed until the ultimate teacher is finished with his lesson.

For those of us coaches, business owners and servicepreneurs who believe in God, the Divine or Spirit---let's stop fooling ourselves into to believing that our thoughts are more powerful than God's will, word, plan and lessons. When God is teaching us, enlightening us, stretching and molding us there is nothing we can do but trust what doesn't make sense or feel good and know that we will emerge from the valley wiser, stronger and more resilient. Besides if you believe that your presence and purpose here is Divine why wouldn't you believe that our master teacher may have to show us better than he can tell us?

Mindset does matter and it can be a powerful effective strategy in creating the desires of your heart.  The Law Of Attraction is fantastic too I love what tapping into it can produce in our lives. But the valley moments, our spiritual lessons and the University of G.O.D trump any coaching strategy out there.  Sometimes we have to experience our lessons this way because it's the only way we wake up and listen. It's the only way we learn how to put our ego in the back seat. It's the only way we are reminded who's really in control and why we are here. What I love about these sometimes painful and dark lessons is that it allows us to delve deeper into our soul's purpose, our divine calling and our global mission to serve the world. This is God's moment to talk to you...

At the end of the day it's not about us, it never has been and never will be. It's about us being shaped and molded into the "being" we are to become so we can show up, be real, speak our truth and tell our stories to inspire others to do the same. We must be careful as coaches, leaders and healers to not always tell people "you're in this situation because of your mindset." So NOT true all the time. And when we do this we somehow falsely empower ourselves to have power greater than what we really have. I don't care how gifted, talented and skilled you are as a coach...you'll never have that kind of power. This is especially true if and when we are serving believers of the most high. We must honor their beliefs and be a guide as they take a seat in the classroom of G.O.D University. I've chosen to let God do what he does, when he wants to do it and how it needs to be done. 

Here's what I've learned about my valley moments...

1. Realize when you are in the valley.
2. Learn the difference between your own self-imposed detour and the detour of spiritual enlightenment.
3. Surrender to the cosmic lesson. Accept it is where you are suppose to be at the time.
4. Resist the temptation to struggle. Focus your energy on being open and willing to hear the message on a deep cellular level.

6. Seek the lesson, get the lesson, apply it to your life immediately and share the lesson with the world.
7. Think with your soul, speak from your soul and live from your soul.
8. Don't emotionally and mentally beat yourself up...that will keep you there longer.
9. Get still and quiet. Reconnect with God. Honor is power. Read. Study. Pray. Meditate.
10. Be fearless, trust the process, settle in, set up camp and just be.

And yes think positive and be optimistic. Focus your thoughts on the outcome not the situation. Give your energy to becoming better, wiser and more aware of the spiritual reason you are here and the purpose for your life.  I now take a front row seat, bring plenty of paper and pens, listen with intent and study hard so I can get the lesson and past the test of faith, courage, and resiliency....when I do this I always ace the course and am more prepared for the next lesson sure to come.

So if you are in the valley let me affirm for you that it may not feel good but you are there for a reason.  A positive mindset will provide more ease and grace in the journey and the Law of Attraction will help you manifest your desires. Know this and use the strategies often yet know that you may not emerge from the valley until you've really gotten the message, learned the lesson and transformed from the inside out on a deep soul level and all at Godspeed. You will emerge and soar higher into the soul purpose for your life.

No matter what be brave, courage and fear not the valley...it's where you get your wings! 

Catrice M. Jackson 
Empowerment Speaker and Fear-Free Living Expert
Ready to LIVE BRAVE?

Learn how to master the art of fear-free living here.

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones...

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." I can clearly see myself standing on the school yards of Irving and Crescent Park elementary schools saying those words and doing it with sass. Back then I really thought I threw up a serious shield and believed "those" words didn't hurt me. Today, I realize they did. How about this one "it takes one to know one (giggle)." Or "I know you are but what am I?" Those were weapons back in the day. Tools we as girls used to attempt to block the verbal blows put out by other girls.  We thought we were really doing something back then, standing with our hands on our hips, waving our finger and shouting out the cliches of girlhood games.  I can laugh at it now but I remember how much drama this caused in the cliques of elementary school.

These were real moments in time and unfortunately many women are still scarred by those verbal blows to the spirit. They are real moments today we've just gotten a little more sophisticated about how we do it. Oh yes the mean girl games still exist in 2011 and grown up women are playing hard yet pretending they don't play. Today we use savvy statements like "she's not on my level, she doesn't play big enough, it (she) doesn't resonate with me or  my purpose, and too many to name.  Bet you've heard these and probably said them yourself right? Um...huh...tell the truth.  I've said them many times but with good intention (yeah right, that's what we tell ourselves to make ourselves feel better). We are so savvy these days that one of our favorite weapons is to ignore another woman and not say a word.  Yep, we simply act as if she doesn't exist no matter how hard she tries to engage with us.  Different tactic same result.

Today I am more mindful when the urge to speak these words comes up. I stop to think what is the intention or motive behind it. I ask myself  "is there something I am afraid of?" Sometimes an answer comes to mind and other times it doesn't, but I'm still careful to not throw out verbal blows just because I have "the right to speak my mind." So what's up with this type of behavior? Why do we do this?

Have our ego's gotten so big? Do we forget where we really come from? Does it make us feel good? Or are we afraid of something.............I'm going out on a limb to say we just may be afraid.  You see fear is at the root of so many things that you'd be surprised.  When we envy another woman we fear we won't be able to be who she is or have what she has.  When we are jealous of another woman we fear that what she has will make her more popular and we will go un-noticed.  When we fail to acknowledge another woman's success we fear by promoting her her success will rise. When we ignore another woman reaching out to us we fear that our clique friends will wonder why we are hanging out with the no body's.  Oh yes my friend, fear is lurking underneath all these school yard games, believe it. I've felt all of the above and participated in it before and now realize how it de-values who I am and the recipient of those passive and aggressive sticks and stones.

Here's the NAKED truth. When you strip down and take off all the masks, titles and outer adornments your heart pumps like every other woman.  You breathe the same kind of air.  You deal with the same kind of ups and downs in life.  And oh yes when the "guru, expert, in-girl, or superstar" wipes off her makeup and puts on her PJ's she looks just like you.  So ladies...let's keep it real. It doesn't matter if your playing on the big field with bright lights or the school yard, the game is the same. Isn't it time for a new game? The game of integrity and consciousness?

There's a new way to be, to live, to act and show up in the world. Are you ready? Or will you let fear be your game board? To be continued...

Catrice M. Jackson
Fear-Free Living Expert, Speaker & Coach
http://www.theartoffearfreeliving.com
http://www.catriceology.com