Alignment
RESOURCES
This is an assortment of resources I’ve gathered and created to assist living a life of purpose in alignment, regardless of what stage you may find yourself. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, please let me know what you need. There is a very good chance I can point you in a direction that may be helpful.
You’ll also find a few of my favorite titles on subjects that I’ve found after decades of reading on the given topics. There are free worksheets to download for reflective self-exploration and a few books and toolkits to purchase. My intention is that this page will be a fun journey in itself but that you will find the exact answer you were looking for! (Don’t forget to search my articles for many pages of additional resources.) And watch for updates.
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THE LIFE PURPOSE QUIZ
We all have an instinctive urge to fulfill our life purpose. Do you know yours?
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Print Resources
BOOKS
Inspirational Resources
ALIGNMENT TOOLKITS & WORKBOOKS
Free Resources
WORKSHEETS + PRINTOUTS
A variety of resources, ranging from visual reminders and worksheets to a meditation bell, are yours to download. Enjoy!
Free Resources
LIFE RESOURCES + LINKS
As you build your Personalized Template of Alignment, it’s often useful to see what others have found helpful. Here are a few of the resources and tools I’ve found for living a life in alignment. Have fun assembling your Personalized Toolkit! I’d love to hear in the comments below what you include in yours.
MEDITATION
Headspace
First, let me state that I don’t use Headspace. But from all reports, it is the one tool that has helped people having difficulty learning to meditate. And I highly recommend meditation — for everyone. There is sure to be a style that suits you, just as there is a style of exercise for everyone.
Transcendental Meditation
This is the style that has worked for me for over 40 years. We each find our own way.
Calm
Another app for which I’ve heard enthusiastic reviews. If nothing else, take a look at the website. It’s a gorgeous meditation in itself.
BODY AND MIND INTELLIGENCE
The Secret Language of Your Body: The Essential Guide to Health and Wellness, Inna Segal
A comprehensive guide to understanding the connection between physical and emotional signals, and the significance they hold for learning.
The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions Today, Julia Ross
This book explains brain chemicals and hormones more comprehensively and succinctly than others, and offers suggestions.
Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System, Judith Anodea
This text is a classic which has been emulated and copied many times.
Sara Gottfried, MD provides cutting edge information on health, aging, and hormones. Her books are full of new concepts backed by research AND her experience as a physician. She incorporates multiple levels of learning, growth, and change: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. I highly recommend her work. A few of her books are listed below. The hormone protocol is tailored for women while the Younger protocol is not.
The Hormone Reset Diet: Heal Your Metabolism to Lose Up to 15 Pounds in 21 Days
Younger: A Breakthrough Program to Reset Your Genes, Reverse Aging, and Turn Back the Clock 10 Years
CREATIVITY
Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, Adam Grant
The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life, Twyla Tharp and Mark Reiter
The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron
This book is so fundamental I tend to forget it. If anyone hasn’t read it — and even better — followed the program, it’s a life changer.
Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative by Austin Kleon
Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All, David & Tom Kelley
Disciplined Dreaming: A Proven System to Drive Breakthrough Creativity, Josh Linkner
The Little Spark: 30 Ways to Ignite Your Creativity, Carrie Bloomton
Creativity on Demand: How to Ignite and Sustain the Fire of Genius, Michael J. Gelb
This book is a reassuring reminder of why we feel different levels of creative energy at various times. The author explains the stages and types of creativity and how to draw upon the level needed.
THE POWERFUL MIND, BRAIN, AND A LITTLE NEUROSCIENCE
As A Man Thinketh, James Allen
The all-time mind power classic.
Sleight of Mouth: The Magic of Conversational Belief Change, Robert Dilts
An overview into the power and impact of Neuro Linguistic Programming, and how to use it to help make powerful changes in your life.
Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience Of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, Rick Hanson
Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness, Peter Godfrey-Smith
HeartMath Institute
A wonderful resource for putting answers to many of the questions of the body mind connection. The HeartMath Institute was instrumental in scientifically proving what ancient wisdom knew regarding the interconnection of individuals. It then continued its work by enhancing that connection.
Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon Dr. Joe Dispenza
A comprehensive yet understandable overview of the quantum field and how we can work with it to achieve what we want in life.
INTEGRATED AUTHENTIC LIVING -- GENERAL
Conscious Men A Practical Guide to Develop 12 Qualities of the New Masculinity, John Gray
The latest offering from the always insightful John Gray, with chapter-by-chapter tips that benefit both men and women.
Create A World That Works: Tools for Personal and Global Transformation, Alan Seale
A beautifully written comprehensive explanation of universal spiritual principles, with a practical guide on how to make the world work for you. Brilliant.
Breathing Room: Open Your Heart by Decluttering Your Home, Lauren Rosenfeld and Melva Green
Combining feng shui with heartfelt intentions and affirmations, this book is one of my all time favorites for how to set up your living environment in a way that supports you.
Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges, Amy Cuddy
The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling, Stephen Cope
COACHING vs CONSULTING
Coaching definition:
(adapted from the International Coach Federation)
Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their potential. Coaches honor the client as the expert in his or her life and believe every client is creative, resourceful and whole. The coach’s responsibility is to:
- Discover, clarify, and align with what the client wants to achieve
- Encourage client self-discovery
- Elicit client-generated solutions and strategies
- Hold the client responsible and accountable
This process helps clients dramatically improve their outlook on work and life, while improving their leadership skills and unlocking their potential.
Consulting definition:
Providing objective advice, assistance and/or guidance to a client often relating to some type of strategy, structure, management or operations of an organization or life in pursuit of long-term purposes and objectives. Such assistance may include the identification of options with recommendations; the provision of additional resources; and/or the implementation of solutions.
Questions? I’d love to hear them and discuss with you further.
Also, you may find my article on the topic of interest.
VALUES AND STRENGTHS ASSESSMENTS
Strengths Discovery
A simple yet profound self-assessment to take in less than 10 minutes to uncover your character strengths. It provides a wealth of information that focuses on your best qualities to enhance the aspects of your personality to draw from. Developed under the direction of Dr. Martin Seligman, the “father of Positive Psychology” and author of “Authentic Happiness” and “Flourish”, and Dr. Christopher Peterson, scientist at the University of Michigan, author of “Primer in Positive Psychology. This tool is also validated by Robert McGrath, PhD and is regarded as a central tool of positive psychology.
After receiving your survey, you will also be included on the mailing list to receive monthly motivation, encouragement, and inspiration for living a life of purpose.
http://strategicsolutionsservices.pro.viasurvey.org/
Your Core Values
Do you know your “why”? Understanding your core values is a big step in uncovering your underlying motivation. This free assessment is an insightful tool to help you with that process. Designed to be taken within 15 minutes on-line, your results will show you what is most important to you and therefore what motivates you to take the actions you do. Once you have that underlying information, you have the information to determine exactly how you want to move forward. This is a tool of empowerment.
There’s so much more to discover from this point. If you would like to explore options of what’s next, please contact me or explore the options of working with me.
http://valuescentre.com/our-products/products-individuals/personal-values-assessment-pva
PROSPERITY, ABUNDANCE -- AND MONEY
Money, representing overall acceptance and abundance in our life, can be a powerful catalyst and tool to self-growth. Learning and working through our beliefs about money is frequently one of the last frontiers of self-development we choose.
Listed below are the programs and tools I have personally used and benefited from.
Programs
Money Mindset Bootcamp with Denise Duffield-Thomas
Denise Duffield-Thomas is known for her Money Bootcamp, a highly effective program designed to work with your money mindset. Her program is focused at women and many components are tailored to female entrepreneurs. The information, however, is universal. I believe in this program so strongly I am an affiliate for it.
Denise also offers a course on Sacred Money Archetypes, revealing how our personality is expressed in our money behavior (and how to work with it).
Bari Tessler combines mindset with the practical money management of budgeting, accounting, etc. Her program opens annually and is taken by a diverse community.
Books (listed in the order I discovered them)
The Energy of Money: A Spiritual Guide to Financial and Personal Fulfillment, Maria Nemeth, Ph.D.
This was the book that changed my perception of money. A classic, it’s still available.
Think and Grow Rich, Napolean Hill
Reading this at various phases of life continues to teach and remind me of essential lessons on this topic and others (e.g., connection and community).
The Prosperous Heart: Creating a Life of “Enough”, Julia Cameron
Yes, from the author of The Artist’s Way! This is a follow along program and was the first program on money mindset I did. It continued to evolve my approach to money and prosperity. Includes weekly exercises, journaling, and structure similar to The Artist’s Way.
The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life, Lynne Twist
The Art of Money: A Life-Changing Guide to Financial Happiness, Bari Tessler
The first book I read (and know of) that connects the internal components of money (i.e., emotional and spiritual beliefs) with the practical tasks (i.e., accounting, budgeting, etc.). Bari also runs an annual program of the same name which I have taken and learned from where she includes a vast vault of additional resources.
Lucky Bitch: A Guide for Exceptional Women to Create Outrageous Success, Denise Duffield-Thomas
It took me a bit of time to overlook the title and I was so glad I did. Read it and you’ll see “lucky bitch” is a tongue in cheek reference that yields deep insight. This book is a great primer to Denise’s full Money Bootcamp program. Also look for her free videos. They are loaded with practical, useful information to apply immediately. (I believe in her work so much I am an affiliate for her Money Bootcamp program.)
Tapping Into Wealth: How Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Can Help You Clear the Path to Making More Money, Margaret M. Lynch
This title is a bit of a variation from the others listed, in that it offers a practical tool to apply while raising your money mindset and enhancing your money management skills. There are several similar topics available; this is the best I have found by far.
Living my life with integrity includes disclosing that I’m part of Amazon Affiliates, which means that Amazon products I sincerely recommend may earn me a (very) small commission.
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