Personal note from Shawn

Dear,

This is my favorite time of year...rising early and finding the skies already lightening. Light sweater temperatures. The days full of potential! Of course, I always try to put too much on my "daily plate" but at least now I'm also scheduling some time for reflection and going within. This is my time for Remembrance, a beautiful practice of connecting and spending time with the Divine. I'll be offering a Remembrance teleclass on Monday, June 16th to share this practice...perhaps you'll join me!

What's on your schedule for the summer months? Will you be taking time for yourself or do you need a vacation from your vacation? Trust me, I can relate! Sometimes we just have to put ourselves on our own schedule and make US a priority!

Wishing you much joy this summer season...

Shawn

Playing a Bigger Game

"How many of you think you'll do something great in your lifetime?" asked Father Manuel of our social psychology class. Only one student raised her hand. Father Manuel seemed shocked. His question, one I'd never asked myself, awakened something in me. Over the many years, in fact, the question really hasn't left me...rather it has continued to stir in me the realization that, deep inside, I do want to be up to something big. And this "big" thing seems to be in the realm of people living their best lives. Joyous lives. And I'm wondering, can you live a joyous life if you consistently stay within your comfort zone? Can you live a fulfilled life when you play small? Does living joyously require some risk-taking?

You probably have friends who are quite content with living comfortably, without feeling the need to stretch themselves too much; with little interest in leaving their comfort zone. But there is a difference between contentment and joy. And joy requires a fuller commitment of the heart and soul. It requires passion. For that reason, accessing a deep joy requires some aspect of risk. Passion is risky. Cynthia Heimel writes, "When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap." Who knows on which side of the line you'll land? And what if it's on the side of brilliance?

One of my favorite quotes is likely familiar to you, but I hope, like me, each time you read it, you are reminded of its truth.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marianne Williamson

Our world is changing so rapidly these days, it feels so important for us to stretch ourselves, to live full-out, to share our light, brightening our part of the world as we were meant to. Now is not the time for us to be playing small. How many of you want to be up to something big in your lifetime? Where would you like to begin?

What's that you say? I love to hear from you, and I read every email personally, even when I can't reply to all of them. Send your thoughts to shawn@joyouslifeworks.com. And if you prefer not to be quoted in a future article, just let me know.

Please feel free to pass it on or to reprint this article on your Web site or in your own e-zine. I ask is that you forward the newsletter in its entirety and/or that you include the following paragraph and copyright line with live link if you reprint the article.

This article originally appeared in the Joyous Life e-zine and is reprinted with permission from the author. Shawn Murphey is owner of Joyous LifeWorks.

For more information, visit Joyous LifeWorks.

Copyright © 2008, Shawn Murphey. All rights reserved.

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Upcoming Events

Speaking Circle - Thursday, June 26, 7:00-9:00 PM PST
Want to enhance your ability to speak with more authenticity and impact? Speaking Circles help you to tap into your natural capacity to be present with your audience with greater ease and grace.
Click here for more details

Attraction in Action Teleclass- Monday, June 30, 2008
6:00 - 7:00 PM PST - Click here for more details
Learn how to use the processes offered by Abraham-Hicks to put the Laws of Attraction to better use in your life. This week we'll work with the Wouldn't it be nice if...process.

• Boost your enthusiasm for what you really want to draw into your life!
• Gently turn your thinking processes towards potentially negative situations to positive, affirming thoughts.

Email me, or phone me at 916-369-2077, for more information on either event or to register.

Do you want to play a bigger game? Contact me to schedule a consultation and learn more about how to overcome the obstacles keeping you from living the life you want and deserve.

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