One of the biggest contributors to stress and physiologic pain is coming to terms with hidden fears.

Fear of being discovered, being imperfect, being a host of shortcomings are all things you might not want people or even yourself to know and / or remember.

There may be a peak experience in your life, like the top of Mt. Rainier seen in the distance from the Greater Seattle area. Or there may be times you feel like you are under water like Angle Lake just across the street from the picture I took of Mt. Rainier. Angle Lake is hiding behind the wooden building in the center of the scene.

Life is characterized by ups and downs, or so you may think.

What helps is to remember that there is a cycle of ups and downs in everyone’s life. The peaks get higher and even the lows are on a higher level because you learn from each of them and develop your resilience.

If you can take a deep breath, or even a few of them, you will eventually see that What is So, is exactly that. It is! So What?

There are experiences and interpretations, stories and assumptions that emerge out of “what is” and yet “what is” just “IS.” Keeping events as neutral as possible without explanations and descriptions helps reduce the physiological impact.

Hiding “what is” or pretending that it is not can be a source of suppression that reaps havoc on well-being and productivity.

Revealing, recognizing and releasing “the truth” of what is without significance or meaning can be redeeming.

Recognize this practice for yourself and report back your results. I would love to hear from you about this discovery from your own experiences.

The benefits of practicing unconditional love regardless of your imperfections as our Father in Heaven does is the secret to overcoming fear. Perfect Love casts out Fear.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

1 JOHN 4:18

Does fear of the unknown leave you a little sheepish? Driving across the country, up and down the West Coast and even around town, new opportunit­ies for adventure emerge.

Are you afraid of trying new things?

New things are a way of adding variety to life, it’s the spice. It keeps the moss from growing around your toes and expands or as someone else said, ” travel broadens the mind.”

The picture below is from Grants Pass, Oregon where my brother lives on five acres. Deer and wild turkeys visit regularly.

Each of my three sisters and two brothers live in a different city with a different life-style. Visiting all of them is such an adventure as we are all so different with a common thread of stability.

Let the stability of God be the grounding force in your life. From there He will lead and protect you in the adventure of variety. He gave all us so much to appreciate and grow into.

Unlike the sheep below, with God, you do not need to be “penned” in for ultimate safety. Do something you have never done today.

Drive home from a common place on an uncommon route. Speak to a stranger and show them God’s love in your own way. The variety of this practice will reduce stress and add all of the zest life has to offer.

Returning from Chicago, I had to go through Wyoming. Why am I roaming through Wyoming? Wyoming is the least populated state in the United States.

Wide open spaces abound. It is the home state of Yellowstone National Park in the North and West corner of this state as well as The Grand Tetons National Park just South of Yellowstone.

Wyoming’s flag commemorates the buffalo, as the brown bear is the emblem for the state of California flag. Wyoming is the home of cattle ranges and most notably where the buffalo roam.

Wyoming is also the state least developed by humankind. The water table is so low in most of this countryside as the Continental Divide runs North and South through its borders.

The mean elevation is approximately 6,700 feet with an average population density of 6 people per square mile. Living in California, this population scarcity is noticeable. It is all the more reason to depend on the provisions of Mother Nature.

One must be wise in these parts of our country and it is no coincidence that survival for Wyoming’s wild life depends on Mama Sage. See the signage below for details.

Yes, there is peace and tranquility in this “state” of being and no room for stress that results from a lack of integrity from wisdom. Mother Nature is the ultimate example and teacher.

How do you find peace from the stress that emerges from your life?

Having worked for a major corporation for most of my professional career, I could not help but think, “Why can’t our country run on the financial mentality so characteristic of corporations? What is going on with our national bottom line?”

That is when I began to pray we get a person with corporate business and mindfulness towards Return On Investment (ROI) into office. I had no idea that Trump with be the one to show up. His campaign was quite a surprise to me. However, I knew
the country was not ready for a female president, number one, and number two, we needed someone in office that would not perpetuate the “Status Quo.”

Somehow, the political machine that runs our country is broken and we need a president that can and will buck the system. I do not know if Trump is that person, but it is certain that “time” will tell. I do know and trust that God is ultimately in charge and that HE knows the end from the beginning. We live in perilous times that are unpredictable and it is difficult to know for sure what the near future holds for all of us.

I do know Who holds the future and I have a lot of faith in HIM! What are your thoughts?

My sister loves to camp so I sent her the picture below of a campground that is located in Rawlings, WY and right on the Continental Divide. This city is at approximately seven thousand feet in elevation. Denver, CO. the mile-high city, is at 5,280 feet or so. At this location of the Continental Divide in Wyoming, I am on my way to Chicago for a conference over the weekend.

Why bother to notice? I could not help thinking that this moment is indeed a “peak” experience. The air is so fresh, the sky is so blue and I am on top of the world.

Getting to this point was an uphill trek my car graciously afforded me. From here to Chicago, my near-term destination, it will be essentially a down hill breeze. The past is past and I am looking forward to an exciting future, yet enjoying life in the “now”.

Often the future is clouded by the past, the struggles, the mistakes and the hardships. Going uphill is a hardship, but the future does not have to be that way.

I am focusing on the bright new future that is being painted on a completely blank canvas of creation. It is a future of ease, grace and peace of mind that I know is in store for me with God at the helm. I can count on that.

Any trials that come my way can be handled by Him or directed for me to handle with His wisdom. That is the source of my JOY !

Let your future be filled with wisdom, light and love that comes from our Father and see how you can “coast” into creating your joy!

Trusting in the forever friend that accompanies your journey allows you to leave the past behind and move forward with the fresh start that you create for yourself. God will give you the desires of your heart as you delight in Him…Psalm 37:4.

Are you in the Santa Cruz area?

Join us in discussing how you can master stress next Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at the New Leaf Market, Fair Avenue, Santa Cruz, Ca.

Event to begin 7pm. Click here for additional details.

Below is a picture just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. Notice the moon approaching its quarter.

As I am traveling to Chicago, I rediscovered an interesting thing about time. Driving the distance to Chicago means lots of miles each day. Yet, because I am heading EAST, I get one less hour a day every thousand miles. Shucks! Just when I need it…

Going home, my day will be one hour longer each one thousand miles or so, YEAH!

As I start my day in Chicago and getting up at 6am, it is only 4am in California. No wonder people get so much done on the east coast with a three-hour jump on California or west-coasters.

IN London, their time is six hours later than Chicago, 12 noon, and Rome is at 1pm already.

So what?

In my perspective everything happens in God’s time. He wants us to celebrate the gift of “NOW.” That is why it is called “the present” regardless of the time zone.

Enjoy the present as your gift !

I am traveling from the California coast to Chicago for a conference. This is one of my first stops to enjoy nature and find a rock that represents a monument to God, an altar of sorts. How beautiful is nature, even in May on a clear-sky afternoon just outside of Reno.

What captured my attention was the train just above me, quietly traversing it’s course.

It reminded me of my “train” of thought. I can be so busy that I do not notice the beauty all around me. Relish the moments!

What really matters is “now.”

Whether it is North, East, South or West, river’s flow how
they know best. They flow into the sea or ocean.

The nature of nature is to flow according to its nature.

So too does your body. A newborn healthy baby has
everything doing and going the way it needs to go.

In time, and with language, the children of judgment set in.

Those children are anger, resentments, criticism, complaints, jealousy and a host of other negative evaluations.

All of these become one “dam thing” after another that
interfere or “dam” the flow of a healthy life.

Is it possible to observe something and be someone that
is whole, perfect and complete, just the way it is?

Why not? What would happen if the children of judgment
were expelled? Notice your choice in thought.

The faith of what is, has a reason for being as it is. What would it take to be happy just knowing that you are still here?

For whatever is [born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
(1 John 5:4)

My current book on mastering stress is in edits and layout. It will be available in June, God willing. In it I talk about the stress of rejection which I got a taste of last weekend.

I was in the third level of a speech contest that had me inspired and revved up. My subject was a play on words around birds. It was a fantasy story or allegory regarding how life takes us on different paths to accomplish what is stranger than fiction, perhaps even a miracle.

I have never won anything like this before and I got this far by an interesting sequence of events.

At the first level, I was not as familiar with my material and characteristic to my nature, I had way too much information. My presentation was almost a race in verbal diarrhea. It was funny though. People laughed a lot and it was memorable because people are still commenting on it. I actually came in second place. I was pleased with my delivery, however, as usual there is always room for improvement.

The second level was five days away. To my surprise, the first place contender had a scheduling conflict, so I got to take his place. That was prophetic in my mind. To top it off, I was offered a mentoring session to help me for the Saturday contest. I also had already scheduled a coaching session with my speech coach the following day. That session was scheduled way before I even decided to enter the contest.

How convenient. Does God’s timing work or what?

For the second level contest, I changed a few words around, cut some of the content and had a lot of fun with it. I came in first on my own for that contest, although I was questioned on the content. Apparently my poem sounded as though someone else had written it. This was a compliment to me, however, I had to verify originality.

The picture below is from the third level. I was so excited about this opportunity because now my speech had been mentored several times and I had had plenty of time to practice all of my 746 words. At the contest, I went first. This was not a good sign in my mind. My presentation was distinctly different from the four other contestants. My story was funny, with wit and preposterous situations. The other speeches were very deep and emotionally charged examples of life changing events.

That is when I came in second place and it stuck.

I learned a lot through this process and the experience was motivating. I discovered that indeed, my speech could have done better if I had chosen to write a story that demonstrated overcoming one of life’s challenges.

I was told later that the four “D’s” would be a great start; Death, Disease, Divorce or Debt. These can be tragic defining moments in one’s life and can demonstrate an act of faith that sees you through. I did not do that.

However, I believe all of those four areas can be better managed by a little light-hearted humor. Like the birds I was showcasing, “angels fly because they take themselves lightly.”