Setting Intentions for 2008

A new year is about to begin! Time to set new intentions. I've been a believer in setting intentions because several years of experience has shown me that they work!

For me, an intention is a direction I set in my mind. It is the vision of the creation. It includes the destination but is not limited by it, nor does it necessarily show the path I will take to get there. If need be, I will include concrete goals to help measure my manifestation, taking good care to not let them limit me (for instance, I intend to earn $100,000 or more in revenues in 2008 - and I may revise that upward in the next few days). But the goals reflect a feeling, an experience, the financial goals representing Abundance, and Success.

A goal feels like something I "try to do". Just as a resolution is something I "try to keep". It smacks of work. It reeks of effort. It sounds difficult. My experience with intentions has been that when I set them I usually have no idea how I will create them, but I figure it will be exciting to do so. And often afterwards I find that I enjoyed the manifestation process, and I grew and was enriched by it.

Your intentions can simply be written, like a list or a word-story. Or they can be done via collage, especially if you are a more visual thinker. I strongly suggest keeping them somewhere where you will see them on a daily basis (mine go in the front page of my schedule book).

I'll share with you my intentions that intersect with this blog:
- I express and share my spiritual side
- I create and write whatever I am passionate about
- I experience Abundance by being of service to others

There are more, but I'm going to keep those for myself and my support network.

Happy New Year! Your Grateful Guy

New Year - Reviewing the Year

It's almost New Year's Eve! I'm in NY enjoying time away from being a therapist (in fact I am watching the Giants-Patriots game).

I've pulled together a bundle of things to do at the change of year that I'd like to share with you.

First of all is the Year End Review. Whether you had set goals or intentions for the past year or not, you can still do this. For this, I want you to create two lists. The first is Celebration List - this is the goals you've set and achieved (or surpassed); the intentions that were manifested; and the unplanned successes. Take a long minute and drink this list in. Look at what you've done! Toast yourself! Do a victory dance. Plan a nice reward (I always think self-care like a massage, or a nice meal out is a good reward). But definitely feed this back into your mind - YOU DID THESE THINGS. You achieved them.

Now for the next list. What goals didn't you achieve? What intentions didn't manifest? What unplanned issues or problems cropped up over the last year? Write these down. Reflect for a minute. Don't hang your head down, but take an honest assessment. There are probably good reasons for the items on this list. Learn from them. Feed that back into your mind - you can improve so much by learning from where you underperformed.

For the next step, you'll need to be someplace where you can burn something. Yes, you are going to burn both lists. You are going to release them, quite vividly, and leave them where they belong. For they are now in the past. The year is done. Both the good and the bad. It's a clean slate ahead of you. And that clean slate allows you freedom in visioning for 2008. But let's wait for tomorrow for that....

Until then, Your Grateful Guy

Holiday Greetings To All

{Note: I emailed this a bunch of friends. More than a few thought I should post it, so here it is.......YGG}

I was sitting in service at my spiritual community on Sunday, thinking about how I've really wanted to say "Merry Christmas" to people this year, even though I know everyone does not celebrate Christmas. Some of my friends are Jewish, Muslim, Pagan, Agnostic, even Atheist. Heck, even *I* wouldn't consider myself a Christian anymore (I'm more of a straight God guy now)

But still, saying "Happy Holidays" hasn't had much feeling for me though. Today I realized why. I was brought up in my family with Christmas, and I was quite blessed - Christmas was a wonderful time for me for many years. Good stories, good anticipations, good memories. When I think of Christmas I feel such as good emotions. Not everyone can say that, either due to being of a different faith, or having *not* had such good times on Christmas.

So, I want to send you a holiday wish, based not on which holiday you or I choose to celebrate, or what has come before, but instead based on the things that can make such a celebration wonderful:

I wish you restful time away from work and the everyday.
I wish you time with people you love, and who love you.
I wish you that you receive what you want and need.
I wish you the joy of giving.
I wish you the experience of the sacred and divine.
I wish you the deep resonance of music.
I wish you plentiful and delicious food.
I wish you the felt sense of tradition and history.
And I wish you to know you have been thought of by me today, with fondness and good wishes.

:-) Peace, Peter

Living With The Energy of The Season

While we have reached the solstice once again, there lies in front of us a week or two of downtime for holidays and New Year, and continued short days and cold and/or wet weather (to live in Miami, *sigh*).

My thought for today is that resting, retreating, cocooning - these are natural things to do at this time of year - and quite often provide the inspiration, replenishment and perspective needed to manifest amazing things over the next year.

I have a nice garden here in Seattle, and the fields (like the real farmers) are fallow right now. The asparagus and grapes have stopped growing above the ground. They are recharging their roots, for fuller growth next year. In fact, I will go out in January and cut them, cull them if you will.

Perhaps this is a good time to reflect on what you want to grow next year? For that, I will return in the next couple of days with a post on intentions for the New Year.

Until then, I wish you the best. Sincerely, Your Grateful Guy

Figuring Out Your 'Yeah, But's

If our consciousness is cause, then the only things between us and what we want are ideas and beliefs in that same consciousness. I've been introduced to an exercise to figure out what those blocks are - it's called the "Yeah, But" exercise.

First, you need to choose that thing you want to have, to achieve, to be. This should be big thing (the juicier, the better). Perhaps "I can have a full private practice", or "I will be happily married with kids!". We'll call that your affirmation.

The next step is simple. Start with a piece of paper (OK, you'll most likely need 2, 3 or 4 pieces for most tries at this). Draw a vertical line down the middle of the paper. In the left hand column, write your affirmation once. Now wait. Your mind will come up with a reason, worry, excuse, 'truth', belief or opinion that is contrary to that affirmation. Perhaps "You're too young", or "you're too old", or "that will take too much school."

Skip to the next line on the paper. Write your affirmation again. Wait just a moment. Your mind should come up with it's next objection. Write that objection down.

Continue this until your mind has exhausted it's well of Yeah, Buts. You now have a list of the things between you and manifesting the thing you affirmed. Now how to get past those objections? That's for another day.

Best, Your Grateful Guy

Why Therapy Is A Growth Industry: Presence vs Technology

(This is one of a continuing series on why therapy is a growth industry)

Worried about making a living in the future as a therapist? Don't. We are going to be more and more in need. Why? One word - Presence.

As the world becomes more complex, and specifically as we allow technology to be an intermediary in more and more of our personal dealings, people are going to both thirst for, and meanwhile have a harder time with presence.

To me, presence is the very basic human act of being with someone. Listening. Hearing. Witnessing. Undivided. On all levels - physical, mental, emotional. It's something we all need. It's the core of good parenting, good friendship, and especially of good therapy.

But I experience in my own life, and witness all around me, the fracturing of presence (by multitasking, by busy-ness, by too much sensory input) and the lessening of being present with one another (by iPods, laptops, HDTV screens, Blackberrys, etc.).

While there have always been people who have intimacy problems, I am finding many couples (especially) are finding it "weird", "odd" or "awkward" to just be together (I'll call it anxiety-producing).

You will be a success by giving people what they need and thirst for:
Be the Presence of Love.
Be the Presence of Acceptance.
Be the Presence of Peace.
Be the Presence of Wisdom.
Be the Presence of Spirit.

Namaste! Your ever-grateful guy.

My Favorite Practice Coaches

I am a big fan of some of the other Private Practice marketing coaches out there. I've learned a lot from them, and they've got a lot to teach. So I wanted to just take a second and give a shout-out to

Lynn Grodzki LCSW MCC - www.privatepracticesuccess.com - Lynn's books have been helping people get established for years. I was lucky enough to do a one-day workshop with her the year I started my practice, and her teachings on business affirmations and "Yeah, buts" were a big part of my growth. I'll cover these in a later post.

Casey Truffo LMFT - beawealthytherapist.com - I came upon Casey in 2006 and she helped me carve out my true niche - working with "Nice Guys". Very good resources on her site, helpful coaches and conference calls.

If I had to compare the two, I'd say that Lynn does amazing private practice nuts and bolts work, including the nuts and bolts in your mind. Casey works the marketing side much more directly and audaciously. You can't go wrong with either.

Until next time, your Grateful Guy reporting.