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Clear and Focused

January 8, 2019 by Marian Buck-Murray 2 Comments

January is a time to reboot, refocus, and get clear about our lives. Despite the cold here in New Jersey, it’s an invigorating time of year, and I love it. As I look out my back window, past the bare winter branches, the view is clear, far, and wide. The possibilities feel endless.

Along with these endless possibilities, comes the need for focused clarity. Gazing into the far off yonder feels freeing, and inspiring, yet I know I can’t stay there. It’s time to get back to work. Back into focus. It’s time for renewed clarity.

Here are some tips to get back into focus after a distracting holiday season, or at any time that you feel the need to clear your mind of all the muddle.

Meditate — The practice of meditation will help you clarify and calm your mind. The act of focusing on your breath helps train your mind to focus when and where you need to focus. I talk about meditation all the time, because it works.

Fresh Air – With colder weather, it might be tempting to stay inside. Ignore the temptation. Being out in the fresh air allows you to breathe in more oxygen. When your brain gets more oxygen, it functions more efficiently, boosting clarity and concentration.

EFT Tapping — EFT tapping does wonders for a distracted, overworked mind. The act of tapping helps bring you back into your body. In addition, it helps lower cortisol, thereby returning more blood to the thinking part of your brain, increasing its efficiency. And, tapping helps bring your brainwave state from a beta level to an alpha level. An alpha brainwave state will help you feel more calm and focused. Contact me to learn more about EFT Tapping.

Get Clear about Fear – Sometimes fear will make us choose distraction over focused action. Often, we’re not fully aware that fear is causing us to stay distracted. Take time to look at what you’re avoiding by being distracted. Notice any fear that comes up around whatever it is you’re avoiding. Sometimes it’s enough just to acknowledge the fear, and take action anyway. Other times you might want to use EFT Tapping, or talk with a practitioner or therapist for help. Contact me if you’d like help releasing fear.

Positive Self-Talk – Keep your eye on the prize. Notice what you’re saying to yourself. Keep yourself in a positive space by continually telling yourself you can do it. For example, repeat to yourself that you love being creative, productive, successful, disciplined, etc. In her book Becoming, Michelle Obama describes how she successfully uses the refrain : Am I Enough? – Yes I am, to help herself overcome big challenges. Remember that you too, are enough! Get the positive talk going, and keep it going. It’s amazing what it can do to improve your self-perceptions.

Eat Green and Clean — A clean, green diet will do wonders to increase clarity and focus. Dark green and cruciferous vegetables are especially helpful for detoxifying the blood. The fewer toxins in your system, the more focused you will be. In addition to increasing vegetable consumption, reduce or eliminate foods that contribute to toxification. These foods include refined carbohydrates, wheat products, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods with artificial ingredients. And, remember to drink plenty of water.

Music — I use an app called Focus@Will. This works so well for me that I sometimes actually resist it when I don’t want to get down to work. There are numerous apps with music designed specifically for studying, writing, working, etc. Used regularly, this type of music will cue your mind to come into focus.

Aromatherapy – Aromatherapy is another way to cue the mind. Candles scented with herbs can be effective. Aromatherapy infusers, using your favorite essential oils, are also useful. Experiment, and find what works for you.

Happy New Year! Wishing you a fabulous, amazing year, with oodles of LOVE, PROSPERITY, FRIENDSHIP, GOOD HEALTH, FUN, and ADVENTURE!

Peace,

Marian

How To Embrace Uncertainty

January 9, 2017 by Marian Buck-Murray Leave a Comment

Indecision confusion. Portrait confused young woman pointing in two different directions not sure which way to go isolated grey background. Negative emotion facial expression feeling body language

I hear it from everyone… “These times feel so uncertain.”… It feels like we’re standing on the brink of something…but what exactly?

What I also hear, from many of my clients, are the common worries: “I don’t know what to do.” “Nothing is clear.” “I haven’t heard back yet.” “I have no idea what’s going to happen…”

Certainly, uncertainty can feel real uncomfortable. It’s that unsettling place of limbo, betwixt and between. And it can be especially hard when it creeps into to your job… your finances… your family…your health… your relationship.

I believe that in times of deep uncertainty, the only thing to do, is to look within, and bring focus to the present moment.

Here are some tips to help you embrace your times of uncertainty:

Ground yourself with morning meditation. A daily meditation practice will help you infuse a sense of peace into your day. It will also help you open up to the intuitive and spiritual guidance necessary to clarify your situation.

Write daily morning pages, or keep a journal. The regular practice of free-style writing will allow you to tap into your deeper wisdom. Use this as a tool to release the mind chatter that clutters your mind. Pose questions as you write, and allow the answers to come to you.

Get clear about what is certain for you in this moment. Although parts of your life might feel completely uncertain, it’s likely that other parts hold more certainty. For example, what beneficial daily routines, activities, friends, or family, can you count on right now? Use this time to cultivate meaningful habits and relationships which will help you move forward.

Be open to good outcomes. We never know exactly what will happen in any situation. However, it might feel natural to focus on what ‘could’ go wrong, when faced with uncertainty. Instead, open your mind to the numerous positive possibilities available to you in any moment. Use your imagination to visualize positive scenarios that appeal to you. Keeping yourself in a positive mind frame will help you create more of what you want. Your brain’s reticular activator is always active, and it will help you find more of whatever (negative or positive) you’re focused on.

Use EFT Tapping. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. EFT Tapping is the perfect tool to release old limiting beliefs and negative mind chatter. Times of uncertainty can easily trigger feelings of fear, low self-worth, and self-doubt. EFT Tapping helps to neutralize these negative feelings, and dismantle stuck patterns of negative self-talk. Click here to learn more about EFT.

Use the Heart Breath. The Heart Breath is a very powerful technique, especially during times of uncertainty. It will help you reduce fear, and increase clarity. I’ve got a free audio meditation. Click here for the download.

Sending you wishes for Peace and Clarity.

In Courage,

Marian

Message Overload

November 1, 2016 by Marian Buck-Murray Leave a Comment

Closeup portrait young woman wondering, thinking daydreaming with brain melting into lines question marks looking up isolated on gray background. Human facial expressions, emotion feeling sign

I’ll admit, I’m a little bit embarrassed to tell this story. It’s one of those “I should have known better” stories.

So, here’s what happened. I was checking email on my phone one day, and saw that I couldn’t read anything but the subject lines. None of the body text appeared in the email. Not a huge problem, I thought, I could always read my email on my computer.

But soon I realized it was a big problem. How would I read last-minute emails from my clients when I was out without my phone? What about the emails I needed to read again for instructions for the event I was attending. What if it got worse and I stopped receiving emails?

So I began searching the internet for anything that would help me understand why this was happening.

And I found nothing. Or at least nothing that caught my eye.

So, at last, I went to the Verizon store to see if they could fix it. The woman helping me searched through my phone to see what could possibly be going wrong.

“Nope, I can’t find anything.” And before handing me back my phone, she handed it her co-worker to take a look.

“Nope, can’t see anything”

I watched as he shook his head and handed the phone back to my helper.

Then, just before handing me back my phone, she checked one more time.

“UHHH. Your Email is taking up A LOT of space.”

“Huh?” I said,

“Your Email. It’s taking up TOO MUCH space. That’s why you can’t read anything. You don’t have any space.”

“But how could that be?” I stammered. “I only see 20 emails. How could 20 emails possibly be taking up too much space? Aren’t the other emails automatically deleted? I never see more than about 10 or 20.

Exasperated, she shook her head. “No they’re still there. See?” She held her finger down on the ‘more’ link at the bottom of the email list. “See they’re loading, 20 at a time. They don’t get deleted unless you delete them. Looks like these emails go back at least a year or more.”

“Oh” I said, embarrassed, shrinking at the realization of my obvious ineptitude with cell phones. “Thank you so much for your help. I really appreciate it.”

And then proceeded to sit at a table right outside of the store to delete hundreds, if not thousands of messages. I then realized to my dismay, that I had never emptied the trash for all the emails I had deleted. So I began tackling them as well.

It took me hours of dedicated purging over the course of a few days to finally clean up my phone. But very shortly into the effort, I got my email back. At last I could read my incoming messages.

And then I got the message. Loud and clear. All those emails — I didn’t even realize they were there. And yet, they were affecting my ability to receive incoming information. Old messages clogging my ability to receive.

And that’s the way it works. Unless they’re released, old negative messages, from past experiences, traumas, and relationships, get stuck in our subconscious. We can get so used to them, we often don’t even realize they’re there. Or, sometimes we know they’re there, but we believe it’s just a part of who we are.

The more we look within, the more we’re able to see the old, stale beliefs that are blocking our ability to receive fresh new beliefs. Sometimes awareness and intention are enough to dislodge them. But not always.

EFT Tapping is one of the best ways I know to dislodge and release old, worn-out messages. EFT Tapping works to target and release the stuck emotions and outdated information that limit your ability to receive the guidance you need create positive new change. Click here for an illustrated description of the EFT Tapping Points.

With the release of old beliefs and messages come the clarity, the understanding, the renewed ability to receive divine guidance all around us.

Let go, and receive.

In Courage,

Marian

Contact me to learn how you can use EFT Tapping to release old, outdated messages that interfere with your success.

4 Steps to Stop Self Sabotage

October 13, 2016 by Marian Buck-Murray Leave a Comment

How many times have you found yourself halting your dreams midstream? Frustrating, right? I know. I know. If you’re prone to self-sabotage, like I am, things might seem to go awry just before you’re ready to do something bigger and bolder.

It’s tricky and sly, this sabotaging fiend. And sometimes we don’t even know we’re doing it. Coming down with a cold, or getting injured, may seem like an unfortunate coincidence that interrupts your creative flow. But what if it’s not. What if it’s one more way that you’re getting in your own way, and halting your dreams midstream?

Certainly, there are the obvious self-sabotaging habits such as constantly checking your phone when it’s time to work, or watching Netflix instead of writing your blog, or doing the laundry instead of going to that networking meeting you promised to attend. The list is endless.

Self-sabotage shows up everywhere! It includes: procrastination, neglecting your schedule, ‘forgetting’ to respond to emails or phone calls, not speaking up for yourself, not charging enough for your work, and not reaching for bigger opportunities.

Because I’ve caught myself so many times thrashing against the undertow of self-sabotage, I’ve come up with a process to help stop it before it starts.

Here are 4 Steps to Stop Self Sabotage:

Step 1 Clear the Fear.

Plain and simple, we avoid things that feel scary. Get clear about what frightens you about your dreams. Are you scared of rejection? Of failure? Of too much success? Of what other people will think?

First, write down everything that scares you. Next, take your time to focus on one at a time, tuning into the fear that you feel. Sometimes just bringing your fear to light is enough to help it dissipate. Deep breathing, and EFT Tapping will help to reduce the fear.

Step 2 Drop out of Negative Mind Chatter.

Mind chatter is distracting, and will pull you out of focus. When engaged, negative mind chatter can have the power to halt your progress. When you’re feeling down about yourself, it can feel tempting to drop everything and head out for a glass of wine, or a triple mocha latte. The key is to override the negative chatter.

One of my favorite methods to override negative chatter, is using the heart breath. The heart breath is a method of deep breathing in which you imagine you’re breathing through your heart. Your heart’s energy is more powerful than your brain’s, and will help to entrain your brain into a calmer, more productive state. By dropping out of your head, into your heart, you create a sense of overall peace that will help you get back into creative focus.

Click here for a free Heartbreath Meditation.

Step 3 Get Clear.

Often we sabotage ourselves because we’re not clear about what we really want.

It’s hard to feel motivated and productive when we’re working towards goals that aren’t right for us. It may seem like you’re going for your dreams, but maybe there’s something you’re not seeing.

When you feel like you’re getting nowhere, slow down and get clear. Perhaps you can take a different route towards your dream. Perhaps your dream can take on a completely different form, that’s even better. Sometimes we get so stuck in what we think we should do to reach our dreams, that we lose our passion. Passion and clarity is what drives success.

So to get clear, it’s imperative to listen to your heart. You can do this simply by closing your eyes, breathing deeply, and breathing in and out of your heart, as you would for the heart breath. As you’re breathing this way, ask yourself a question about your situation. Ask a question about your next best steps. Allow your heart to answer. Listen to my free training for more tips to get clear.

Step 4 Activate Your Success & Get Into Creative Your Flow

Once you’re feeling calm, clear, and focused, it’s time to take action. Taking small action steps is the best way to increase your motivation to do more. Write down a list of small steps you can take to reach your goals. And start stepping. You will a sense of success and motivation as you complete each step. This feeling will help you go further, and further. Keep adding to your list of actions steps, so you’re consistently activating your success.

Once you’ve got yourself going, it’s time to get into your creative flow. Creative flow happens when you stay with your work. Sometimes we sabotage ourselves by leaving a project when it feels too hard. But, instead of leaving, when we stay with what’s uncomfortable, and allow higher guidance to come through, we are carried through the act of creation.

For more tips to stop self sabotage, listen to my Free Training: 4 Steps to Stop Self Sabotage and Ignite Your Success.

In Courage,

Marian