I'm officially a Sati Leader! Wow!

Exactly a year ago this time, I was getting ready to participate in the very first Warrior Challenge--a 30 day event that required all participants to take at least 3 Sati classes/week. I remember feeling so excited about this class because I loved the idea of saying positive affirmations out loud during a workout. But I was also intimidated by the huge crowds of people and the amazing STRENGTH and POWER they displayed. My competitive nature wanted to not only keep up, but I wanted to hit every move with CONFIDENCE and be able to say all the right words at the right times. I remember I stood somewhere in the back for the first few intenSati classes. Well, maybe more than a few. I do know that before the 30 days were over, I somehow had managed to make my way towards the front of the class, usually to the right of Patricia Moreno. I can't help but smile during class and I love being able to look at the people next to me, and behind me, and see them smile back:) Doing this practice for 30 days brought back a lot of DISCIPLINE into my life. More importantly, I really valued the sense of community and camaraderie. From the very beginning, I sensed the warmth and COMPASSION that was present. At the beginning of each class, people were hugging each other hello, introducing themselves to someone new, sharing experiences, etc. It felt really genuine, really nice, really engaged. So when the WARRIOR challenge ended, I made a decision to join Equinox so that I could continue taking intenSati.

So much goodness has come out of this past year. On so many levels, in all areas, I began taking on more and more RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY LIFE. My sense of AWARE-ness became heightened and I became better and better at CHOOSE-ing my THOUGHTS, ATTITUDES, ACTIONS. It became clear to me that we are creatures of habit and get easily stuck in a pattern unless we own our thoughts and choose only ones that empower us. I began feeling better on the inside. And my physical body was also transforming. The synergy created between heart, body and mind in this practice is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I COMMITTED to doing it and began telling anyone and everyone about it! I even brought many people to the gym with me to experience it. One of them was my cousin, Cristina. After one session, she suggested that I should be a Leader with a long list of explanations why. I liked the idea of it. But a negative self-defeating habit called "doubt" kicked in and I dismissed it just as quickly.

Over the next few months, I got better and better and my best kept getting better. I really started to explore the idea of becoming a Leader and liked it more and more. But wondered, if I really had the time to do it with a full plate already as it was. More people were showing up in my life, more circumstances presented themselves that were all pointing to me going for this idea. I realized that little seed of thought that my cousin planted a while ago had blossomed into a full blown DESIRE! My friends and other Sati Leaders were all pushing me to go for it!

Fast forward to today! I just completed the 5 day intensive Leader Training and it feels amazing! I met some of the most amazing women and we shared our stories, our deepest selves. It was beautiful. It was heartful. By the end of the fifth day, we were definitely connected. We all felt an incredible sense of accomplishment. Wow!!! And although new, the friendships we formed our grounded deep within our souls.

And for me, it had been so long since I worked hard for something I really, really, really, really wanted! The training took a lot of COMMITMENT and COURAGE and FOCUS. And now I am READY, WILLING, and ABLE to lead a class! How cool is that!!!! It's so cool because I want to share this with as many people as possible! I want to help people feel better. I want to help them get stronger in every way and to realize their potentials. I want to remind others what I remembered while doing this practice: to ALLOW good things to happen and to BELIEVE that all we need is within us NOW.

Happy Valentine's Day

Woke up feeling fulfilled! I have so many reasons to be excited for today. It's the first time this week I woke up in my own bed since Tuesday and boy did I miss it! I realized I had been doing lots of running around and had not allowed myself time to sit still and just receive. So let's celebrate a couple of rock star moments!

One of last week's highlights was attending the Strategic Planning Meeting for C&B in Chicago. I was honored to be chosen to represent, and was fully mindful of the fact that I was the only store manager from the East Coast. I was excited, nervous, thrilled, and scared all at the same time. I know I have a lot to say, and I wanted to make sure I represented my peers, and the store staffs as well as I could. The whole flight there I focused on being able to express myself beautifully by balancing grace and wisdom. We arrived there safely despite all of the flight delays and cancellations due to a nor'easter. The meeting was short, but our mission was clear. We were going to define our strategy for the future and choose initiatives that would best represent them. There were so many people to meet and so many more to reacquaint with. This was day one. And for the next 6 weeks, I will be flying to Chicago to continue the conversation.
A couple of more canceled flights later, I finally arrived back home on Thursday afternoon with some homework to do. I had challenged our COO with revising our goals by changing some words that would evoke emotions, positive feelings, and make them truly inspirational. He quickly turned it around and suggested that I re-write them and present them to him next week. And just as quickly, I agreed! I really appreciated that exchange between us. He is sharp, open-minded, and leads from his heart. I know we are still in good hands. And I am happy to do my part!


Another highlight took place when I got home Thursday just in time to attend Gabrielle Bernstein's lecture called, LOVE WINS Releasing Romantic Illusions at the Organic Avenue in LES. She is the author of the book, Add More ~ing To Your Life and I have been listening to her lectures and guided meditations for about a month now. It was my first time seeing her speak live and she is a bright light for sure. There was an amazing presence of feminine power and love and appreciation for everyone there. I was with my old friend, Andrea and my new friend, Zoe. It's comforting to be on this journey with so many others.
The most important idea I walked away with was to find love and light in all of my relationships. She says, make your romantic relationships more friendly, and your friendly relationships more romantic. Based on the teachings of A Course in Miracles, Gabrielle says to stop idolizing your lover and bring an equal perception of love to everyone in your life. Only then can you achieve a holy relationship, "where the other person doesn't complete you, but instead enjoys your wholeness with you."

On that note, Happy Valentine's Day to everyone and may we all remember that LOVE is IN each and everyone of us at all times...

Manifesting at its best!!

Seems like everyday this past week has been a day full of miracles. As I get more clear about what I want, the faster and easier things seem to come to me. I think I'm getting the hang of this asking thing and then not worrying about "how" I will get it. I just got accepted into the Sati Leader Training Work Study Program. It kicks off in two weeks and I am so happy to a part of it. Ever since I joined the very first Sati challenge in Feb of last year, I knew that this was a practice that I wanted to help grow. It had re-awakened my spirituality and provided a perfect synergy between my heart, body and mind. In September of last year, I was featured in the SatiLife newsletter as Warrior of the Month where I was able to share some of the benefits I experienced as a result of doing the intenSati. And now a year after that first challenge, I will start my training so that I can help grow the reach of this movement.

For a long time I put off doing the training because I didn't have the money to pay for it. I had all the reasons as to why I couldn't. And so I didn't. But in class, I continued to put my all in it. I would be in the first row, doing the moves harder than most, talking louder than most, and smiling more than most. I pretended to be one of the Leaders. Ever hear of "fake it till you make it"? Well I did! And day by day, little by little more and more people would ask me if I was a leader and upon saying no, they would tell me that I should be one.

Three weeks ago one of the leaders, Rachel told me after class that I should apply for the Feb training. She was insistent that I do it because she said I was already one. I went home that night and thought about how that made me feel. She was right. I AM A LEADER. And in keeping with the theme for the month, I said to myself, "It's 2010, IF NOT NOW WHEN??

So two days later, I went online and filled out the application for the Work/Study program and sent it in with full confidence that what I want is on its way! I requested the week of Feb 15-19 off from work and told my boss that I was going to be in Leader Training even though I did not have any sign or confirmation that I got into the program. And I knew that getting into the program was the ONLY way I could do the training. But I told myself and anyone who asked, that I will be in that Feb training group, no matter what!

I got my confirmation email from Dyan 4 days ago that I was accepted into the work/study program. It felt like I hit the lotto! Or if you were around me at that moment, you would've thought I hit the lotto!!!

So this is what it feels like to MANIFEST something. First know what you want. Speak about it. Feel what it's like to have it. Act as if you already have it. Do not worry about HOW you will get it. Trust that it is already done. And allow it to happen!

Allow myself to chill and just be...

Slept in today after a nice evening out last night with the girls. Woke up this morning and was feeling inspired. Started reading pages from an activity book called, The Artist's Way. My entries were dated Sept-Dec 1997. Remembered how much I discovered about myself at that time when I committed to engaging in self-introspection. After 13 years, I am feeling great that I am back on the spiritual path that I started many years ago. What a gift to have had that time. What a gift to have held on to that book. What a gift that I picked it up today after such a long time. What a gift!

I wrote a letter of appreciation to the person who hurt me the most and thanked him for all the beautiful lessons I learned as a result of the heartache I experienced from our 16 year journey together. Then I forgave him. And I released him.

Then, I created a list of character traits I would want in my next roommate. I have a beautiful space to share and I want to create an opportunity for me to earn extra income.

Then, I created a list of the things I wish for as far as my ideal match. This time I did not censor myself. No guilt. Just fun, playful wishes any person can have about their perfect partner. Except this is specific to me and my ideal match. I will know him when I find him. And he will know me.

Then, I had an eye opening liberating call with my nutritionist who reminded me that I don't have to be on the move all of the time. That in order to create Balance, I must allow myself to chill and just be...And feel great about it! She reminded me not to feel guilty on days that I don't "do" much. She reminded me that sitting still, writing in my journal, meditating is just as important as doing all the physical activities that I engage in the rest of the week.

So one day at a time, this year is mine...

New Year

So glad to finally be writing my first post. All week I had agonized over what to call my blog. I wanted to write about setting goals and reaching them. But that's not all. I will write about enjoying the journey, NOW! I often observe how people I know, myself included set goals and then obsess over reaching them without appreciating the process it takes to get there. And just as often, I've witnessed so many give up on their goals because it was too difficult or too challenging. Some just lose interest or don't have the focus or the discipline. Well, we are seven days into the year 2010, and there are countless of us out here in the midst of setting our goals for this new year. One thing I can bet is that we are all determined to make this a better year than the last. So this blog is dedicated to everyone who wants to improve their lives, one goal at a time while enjoying now, no matter what.