Fearless Guides eZine

Ideas, Inspiration, and Practices for living joyously in a fear-based world.

Beat the Mid-Winter Blues

Right about now, you may be feeling the winter blues. The holidays are behind us and Spring may seem far away. Maybe you expected to make some changes for 2006 and haven't yet realized your aspirations. I believe this is a great time to learn how we can pro-actively create a positive, joy-filled mood out of which we can create the life we want.

Moods live in the background noise of your life. Like fish in water, moods are the soup through which we move. We don't notice them, so we assume that they are just part of the world as it shows up for us.

Moods act like sunglasses on your life and they bring forth a particular world. The world looks different when you are happy - maybe your sunglasses are a shade of yellow and even a cloudy day can look bright and green. When you are depressed, your sunglasses may be a dark gray. Everything shows up a little darker and fuzzier when you are depressed.

If you are in a mood of hopelessness, frustration, despair, depression, or mid-winter blues, chances are that the world is showing up pretty grey and colorless. You may not see any options for change or have the energy to make any changes. Being in a perpetual bad mood will keep you stuck because you won't have the energy, perspective, or ability to take positive actions that support your well-being.

If you liken moods to music, it is as if we have set our lives to music and the music then controls the dance that we perform. When we are angry, our tendency is to punish somebody. When we are happy, our tendency is to play, forgive, or ignore negativity.

Most of us have three or four moods that dominate our lives. These moods set the tone for our lives.

I tend to swing between ambition, serenity, and restlessness, with occasional anxiety. My ambition sounds like Ravel's Bolero - it is bold, passionate and sometimes volatile. My serenity sounds like a North American Native lullaby - it is not so quiet, but it is very rhythmic and spiritual. My restlessness often sounds like a bad pop song - it keeps me moving but without focus or purpose. My anxiety is like a sad, sad blues song - not much energy, very grey and powerless.

Many people are stuck in a mood of resignation and cannot see the possibilities for change and renewal. This is the victim syndrome. It is often easier to see resignation or victimhood in other people. Do you have a friend that always has something to complain about? Does this person delight in retelling their tales of woe? After spending time with them, do you have less energy and lots of complaints about the world?

To be able to make a positive change, you will first need to shift your mood so that you can see the opportunities that are in front of you. Check out February's Cure for Fear to learn how to shift your mood.

NEW!!! Individual Coaching with Debra

A big discovery that came out of my recent week-long meditation retreat is that I miss coaching individuals. So, I have decided to offer individual coaching exclusively to Fearless Guides members and to limit my coaching to three clients at a time. I want to partner with people who are committed to ending their struggles and flowing easily with life.Of course, it is wise to try this out to see if it's the right fit for you, so:

To learn more and schedule a free 15-minute coaching call, call me at (828) 329-5138 or email me at Debra@fearlessguides.com

Cure for Fear

While we often move unconsciously through the drift of life, we do have opportunities to design our life. One great opportunity is to become a keen observer of our moods. We can shift our moods by engaging in uplifting conversations with ourselves or with a trusted friend. We can also quickly shift our mood by getting physical - go for a hike, dance, do an activity you enjoy.

Here is a ten-step process that I have developed to proactively manage my mood:

1. Begin to observe your moods - especially the negative ones.
2. Realize that you did not "produce" a particular mood, but that you happen to be in it.
3. Remember, the mood has dictated how the world shows up and what actions are available to you.
4. Notice how how do you tend to judge when you are in this mood. Do you judge yourself positively or negatively? How do you judge others and the world? What judgments do you have of your future? Realize that these judgments belong to your mood and not to you. They are not
reality!
5. Make sure you are in good physical health - rested and nourished. If you are tired,
then take a nap or rest. If you are hungry, eat a nutritious meal. Drink lots of pure water.
6. What actions can you take to shift your mood? Will a conversation, silence, new body posture, change of scenery, a hike in nature, or exercise shift your mood?
7. Choose to surround yourself with people who are in the mood you want to be in.
8. Play some music that corresponds to your desired mood.
9. Realize that whatever you do, you will always be in one mood or another. Moods are unavoidable. You can choose joy!
10. Understand that moods are contagious. Be aware of how other people's moods affect you and vice versa. Moods in organizations tend to infect everybody. If the mood in your work environment is anxious or resigned, then you may benefit from finding a new work
environment.

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Stay Focused with Fearless Guides' powerful and affordable Online Courses

To change your current situation, you need to replace fear-based thinking and habits with positive, joy-seeking thoughts and practices. Fearless Guides offers affordable, easy-to-follow Online Courses that will keep you focused on creating your positive future.

Get started with a no-fear online course at:
http://www.fearlessguides.com/studyguides.htm

Go forth and prosper!,

Debra Thorsen

Personal and Professional Coach

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