 Written by:
Jacquline Stahl
One of my earliest teaching positions was at a Public School in New York City. I taught over three hundred and fifty students a week, with 32-35 students assigned to a class. I was the head of the Theater Department and the only Drama teacher on staff. After the first couple of weeks, I realized that memorizing hundreds of names and faces would be just one of the many challenges I’d face every day.
My classes were held in an auditorium, which housed the main stage. I referred to it as the sacred space, which prompted all who entered to lower their voices. Attendance was well received, because I sang my students names out loud (which in turn embedded them into my long term memory). For example, one of my student’s names was Roland. I would sing “Roland, Roland, Roland by the River!” Surprisingly, the kids laughed every time I attached music to their name.
Yet, the most magical part of my teaching experience was the warm up. I began every class with shavasana (“corpse pose”). The students quietly arranged themselves in a circle on the stage with just enough space to stretch out, palms open. After the giggles and anxious chatter subsided, I would guide them through a visualization and breath work. Then, we would all sit in some variation of lotus pose and collectively meditate. It really didn’t matter if the student was in 6th grade, 8th grade or a second semester senior. They wanted to be there. They looked forward to being still. One 6th grade boy, who was sent daily to the office for acting out in his other classes, sent me a letter. He wrote: “Dear Jackie, Thank you for letting me quiet the dragon inside of me long enough to see the peaceful me resting there all along.”
I have incorporated meditation, breath-work and mindfulness techniques into my work for many years. I have observed my students and clients connect with a part of themselves that is already healed, strong and aware. When our minds are at peace, our work and our intentions are genuine. As we become internally quieter, our capacity for self-observation deepens. We then have the capacity to tap into our own reset button.
We live in a world that wrestles with time and the pressures of being productive and successful, and we forget that through our breath and awareness, anxiety loses its weight. We can choose to simply surrender, to practice and to gracefully change.
So much is possible when we are able to be still, quiet our minds and communicate from the center of our existence. May we all open our minds before opening our mouths.
Namaste.
Jacqueline Stahl
 Written by:
Betsy Karp,
The Colour Coach Turn the key to your life and open up to all that is inside of you.
Listen, listen and LISTEN more to your inner voice. Follow your heart, your passion and your dreams and you will find the success you are truly looking for. It’s all right inside of you.
Don’t be afraid anymore. Do you have thoughts that keep running through your mind over and over again, like a broken record? Is it that you feel you’re not talented enough, smart enough, pretty enough or worthy enough to do or have what you desire? Well, it’s time to get out of your own way and stop the self–bullying. It’s spring and new beginnings are here for you, so follow your heart and that inner voice and let it guide you right to where your new ventures and opportunities are awaiting. Take it slow, step-by-step and you will get there.
Surround yourself with the color EMERALD GREEN. It helps with overcoming fears and blocks, and creates calm to your inner being. It also helps to increase your self-esteem; it attracts abundance and restores healthy energy. Spring is here, so get outside and go to a park or a lush garden and take in all of the beautiful greenery around you. When you’re not outside, imagine yourself in a field of lush grass just playing, being free and wandering and let go of all of the self–doubt. Feel the GREEN lift your spirits. What else can Color do for you? Click here to learn more.
So are you ready to do it? It really is as simple as believing you will be successful. It’s a shift in your mindset, of feeling worthy that you can have it all and that you deserve it all. There are many forms of success. One can say that success is about having a good paying job, owning a home, having a large family and a few vacations a year. Another might say success is solely about how much money they have. To me, success is more spiritual. It’s about owning my self worth and living as it has already happened.
It’s not about how you appear to others that makes you successful. Not to your family, not to your friends, not even to your boss. It’s all about how YOU feel and what moves and truly inspires YOU…your being! THAT is success.
I was at a dinner party the other night and I asked everyone at the table, “What is success to you?” One person answered, “Success is paying my bills and feeling good about what I do every day.” Another replied with, “Success is the creation of my child.” Still, another responded with, “Success is my way of being.”
My life is now filled with connection from so many different venues. I feel successful in who I am… just as I am. To me success = being peaceful inside and I am peaceful right now. It’s taken me a while to get here and it is a daily journey. I don’t feel this way every day, but I appreciate the days that I do. I revel in them. Every day is a gift and a new beginning for success! Life wants us to thrive, so it’s up to us to choose to believe it. Do you?
Share with us your idea of what success has been to you up to now and how this article will shape your view of success for the future. Turn the key, unlock the blocks and find your success. It’s right there; it always has been.
*Please comment below and share with your friends.*
Have a Colorful Day,
Betsy Karp,
The Colour CoachOver 28,000,000 people have watched this video, it will be worth your time. It is a beautiful reflection on why we have to say and feel...i adore me.
 Written by: Jacqueline Stahl
On the second morning of the New Year I woke up at 5:58 am and turned off my iPhone alarm, set for 6:10am. I listened to my husband breathing and my dog Shadow's breathing from across the room. I listened deeper and heard the faint sound of the television, so I knew my daughter must have fallen asleep on the couch. I closed my eyes and listened to my thoughts to see if they were any different from my 2012 thoughts.
They were.
I didn't start to lose myself in the obsessive mental lists of: “should I take a 6:30 cycle class or meditate in the living room before walking Shadow? Did I empty the dishwasher? When is my Amex bill due? I didn't look at my iCalendar or check my emails or text messages.” I didn't project any catastrophes or doubts in myself.
I kept my eyes closed and stayed with the stillness. I felt the warmth of my pillow and comforter. When I watched my thoughts fast forward to 2015 and then to 7:45 am, I pressed PAUSE and smiled quietly to myself. All I have, all I need and all I want is right here. As I savored the last few minutes of repose, I thought of what I could do to make the world a little better this year. How could I contribute?
My mornings will be different and perhaps everyone should try to begin their days with a different intention.
Start each day with a positive intention and let it guide your day and your practice, getting really clear about your motivations and how your love is the most powerful vehicle in the world. Act for the good of others. Break a bad habit and this includes all the senseless mind chatter that causes hours of anxiety.
Letting go of perfection and anger can create a shift and make a subtle and profound difference in all of our lives.
Happy New Year!
“To see far is one thing; going there is another.”
--Brancusi
Love and Light,
Jacqueline Stahl
*Please Comment Below*
 Written by: Betsy Karp
It’s Christmas Eve and I hope you are all enjoying some wonderful eggnog, family, friends and holiday cheer. Tis the season to be jolly. Sing some carols and stay present…and enjoy the presents (pun intended).
If you get stressed out, wondering if you are giving the right gift, if you are drinking and eating too much or just being around “too much” family, take a minute for yourself and breathe. Let go and enjoy. Whatever will be will be.
Dress in something fun and festive. Wear red, green or hot pink. Red promotes passion, energy and confidence. It helps you to feel powerful within yourself. Green will help open your heart, letting you feel love and abundance. Hot Pink is playful and fun. It makes you feel like a child all over again.
Enjoy yourself. It’s Christmas. Focus on all the love that surrounds you instead of the problems that arise. I hope this holiday brings you lots of peace in your heart. Wishing you all lots of love and a great BIG holiday hug.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
You can never have enough hugs and kisses!
*Please comment below and share with your friends.*
Hugs,
Betsy Karp,
Founder of i adore me
 1. Keep Giving love
2. Make time for yourself
3. Get out of your own way
4. Stay present
5. Use color to uplift you
6. Eat healthily
7. Get out in nature
8. Help others
9. Take a chance on yourself
10. Give up criticism and complaining
11. Be generous
12. Make a contribution
13. Open up
14. Communicate
15. Surround yourself with friends and loved ones
16. Take yourself on a date once a week
17. Meditate
18. Eat something you loved eating as a child
19. Laugh
20. Give hugs
21. Get a good night’s sleep
22. Exercise
23. Focus on gratitude
24. Believe in yourself
25. Live for the journey instead of the result
*Please comment below and share with your friends.*
Hugs,
Betsy Karp,
Founder of i adore me
 Written by: Betsy Karp
I can’t stop thinking about the tragedy and massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Fri, Dec. 14th. My heart and my condolences go out to all of those who lost anyone in this unthinkable, unfathomable occurrence. I am sending wishes and love to all those that are mourning and in deep, terrible pain.
I keep having this vivid visualization of 20 little, white angels in a beautiful circle, all holding hands with white snow coming down all around them. They are warm and toasty in their beautiful, white, down jackets and matching fleece berets, and they’re singing “Jingle Bells.” Everything is so pure and white, clear and clean, and the sky is lit up with so many beautiful stars. But there are perfectly, 20, brilliant stars shining down on each one of them. They are joyful and their spirits are so filled with love.
I keep picturing this over and over so that I can let go of some of the dark, angry, black and horrible feelings I have of this terrible tragedy. 20 little angels are singing, are loving and their spirits and souls are forever in our hearts. They are so pure and so loved, even for those who did not know them.
Take a minute now, close your eyes and envision what I have been visualizing. See if you can try to imagine these beautiful, 20, white, little angels. It is said that our spirits and our souls leave our bodies when we pass on, so let’s all remember and embrace them. If we all put our energy and love together for these families, just think how much lighter they will start to feel.
Life is so precious. It could be gone in an instant. So take some time today and remember how special the people in your life are. Don’t take anything for granted, because we don’t know when our time on this planet will be up. Look up in the sky tonight and let those 20 little angels shine on you.
Please comment below and share with your friends.*
Hugs,
Betsy Karp,
Founder of i adore me
 Written by: EDWIGE GILBERT
Have you ever wondered what the true definition and meaning of the word emotion is? As women we are often accused of being too emotional, and often we simply agree, wishing we weren't. The real problem, I believe, is not having too many emotions, but actually is not knowing how to have our emotions flow in harmony and balance. Consider changing your perspective and looking at the word emotion as “E-motion” meaning "energy in motion." Look at it this way, and you can see that too much E-motion can create an excess and imbalance of energy in the body, which in turn directly impacts our health and leads to “dis-ease”, thus the ease of the body is dis-rupted. We all agree that we cannot avoid our responsibilities and obligations in our lives. We also agree that we are constantly bombarded with challenges, which in turn throw us out of balance and create excess ‘E-motion’. We have now entered a complete vicious cycle: from emotions to stress, and from stress back to more intense emotions, looping around again and again... Let us ask ourselves this question now. Does all this mean that the perpetual emotional roller coaster ride we experience will condemn us to suffering and sickness? No! What we need to learn is how to get off the roller coaster ride and understand how to return to a safe place within, to a state of emotional balance and optimum health and strength. In my Fresh Start program I teach my clients how to achieve this result, by teaching them how to transform stress into strength with a fundamental two step process called “The Clearing and Creating formula”: 1. ”Clearing” the present from any anxiety or fears that hold you back, then accessing a quiet place within, where you can relax and feel safe. 2. ”Creating” the future, imagining the person you would like to be with and the life you would like to live. You can also learn to change your beliefs about what happens to you. For instance, you could start believing that you have the power to transform your life and to imagine that the universe tests you at times, to see how you will respond to conflict and challenge. Have you ever questioned what would happen if you chose to welcome every challenge as an opportunity to develop courage, discover your inner strength and resiliency? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you chose to feel victorious instead of victimized? This choice is yours and yours alone, and will determine the state of your well-being. Having said that, let’s find out what practical steps you could take every day to reach, and most importantly, to maintain this emotional balance in your multitasking, hectic life. I have created a series of rituals and exercises that I promise, if practiced daily, especially for the first 21 days (necessary time to create a new mental conditioning), will have a very powerful and positive effect in your life and will simultaneously create more “Joie de vivre" (French for joy). If you seriously want to be successful with this process, I suggest that you start believing that you can, that you are worthy of feeling good about yourself, that there is always light waiting for you at the end of the tunnel, and most importantly, celebrate every day as if it were your last: • When you first wake up in the morning, stretch your arms above your head and declare to yourself: ”I am happy to be me, I welcome the world of infinite possibilities, I Can, I Do, I Will! Victory to me, victory is mine." • When a difficult moment arises, imagine yourself holding a sword of fearlessness in your hand as you walk boldly forward to meet the challenge. • When you feel very anxious, gently wrap your left thumb with the fingers of your right hand, hold it for 1 minute, and as you do, breathing deeply, imagining all your worries melting away. • When you encounter a challenge, see it as an opportunity to test your courage and to develop your strength of character. • When you want to experience some calmness in your day, take a deep breath in and say to yourself the word “calm." And as you exhale say the words “let go” and begin to imagine your mind like the silent bottom of the sea without a ripple of thought disturbing its surface. • When desiring more confidence and energy, think of your belly as your power center, and as you breathe, gather all your energy supplies into that space and smile. • When desiring change, release your will power, activate your subconscious power instead and imagine yourself the way you want to be. Now – You are ready to experience joy, love balance and positive energy. Merci, Edwige, Author of The Fresh Start Promise
 Are you someone that wakes up in the morning obsessing about your to-do list from here to eternity? Or, are you someone that takes a moment and a breath and is grateful for a good night’s sleep, letting the day unfold as it may? I don’t know about you, but the days that I look at the cup flowing over, everything seems to really work out in my day and in my world. See how starting your day with a new, positive attitude will bring about a whole new energy and way to be. Aren’t you excited to start today? Here are the steps that you should follow to have a positive day: Think One Positive Thought: So much of our attitude in our lives is decided by what our thoughts are when we wake up in the morning. Coming from a true, positive place will set everything in alignment for you throughout your day. Hug Yourself: Lately, I have started wrapping my arms around me first thing in the morning, giving myself a morning hug and saying, “i adore me.” This evokes my self-love, that I’m going to be ok and that I’m ready for my day. Mirror Talk: As you look at the reflection in the mirror first thing in the morning, what do you say to yourself? Are you looking at yourself and loving what you see or are you being harsh and critical on that reflection? It’s so much better when you look in the mirror and say: “I’m going to have a great day today,” rolling up the corners of your mouth, letting that smile just peak through. With or without makeup, you are beautiful…but you need to feel that. Take one to two minutes out of your morning, looking in the mirror and have a positive conversation with yourself about what you are going to do during the day. Take an Invigorating Shower: The next step to having a positive day is enjoying your shower. In order to enjoy your shower, don’t run your to-do list in your head. Put on some upbeat music and/or just let the essence of the water invigorate your body. Water makes you feel fresh, alive and clean. Let it do its job. Envision Your Daily Color: Still in the shower, envision what you want to wear and what color is going to be in your day. For example: “Today the color I want to wear is orange to give me courage” ( click here to find out how to use color positively in your world). Then incorporate orange from what you’re going to wear to what healthy orange foods you’re going to put in your body for breakfast, to feeling that sunny nature and the sweetness of the color orange. Immediately you will feel so good. Meditate: After the shower and envisioning your color of the day, take a few minutes and put on some calming and meditative music, sit up straight in a chair (or upright on your couch) with feet planted on the ground, feel yourself connected to the earth and allow yourself to relax. Close your eyes, take three breaths in and out and allow the moment to just be this beautiful, precious moment of peace. You will not believe what a difference taking these two to three minutes will make in starting your day. Use an Essential Oil: An essential oil is also a wonderful way to give yourself a positive outlook for your day ( click here to find the list of essential oil options). There is a wonderful assortment of blends to make you feel empowered, relaxed or even to awaken you. The “Awaken” blend is one of my favorites, making me feel alive. It truly gives me that essence of feeling happy. Eat a Healthy Breakfast: The last thing before you leave the house is to put some wonderful nourishment in your body. Think about your color of the day and find a way to incorporate it in your meal in a natural way. An example: If orange is your color of the day, eat a piece of orange, an apricot or an orange piece of melon. Have some healthy greens (like spinach or kale) to give you energy and vitamins, protein such as a hard-boiled egg and a fresh piece of fruit. This gives your body energy, brainpower and a wonderful way to start that positive day of yours. So now that you have a wonderful list to start your day, follow these steps. See how great you’re going to feel: the positive change you are going to bring into your life and the people you will meet. Aren’t you ready for that? *Please comment below and share with your friends.* Hugs, Betsy Karp, Founder of i adore me
 Are you thinking good thoughts or negative thoughts, kind or hurtful thoughts, abusive or loving thoughts? Our minds are incredible. They are our personal computers. Everything stems from our minds. Mind voices are a mixture of our past, our relationships, our feelings and our emotions. It's all stuff that happened in the past. Yes, it is true that we need a past to live our present lives, but it's learning to let go of the drama, old habits, pain and resentment that enable us to create new beginnings for ourselves. Isn't time you let those mind voices go? Mind voices are acts of plays that we run in our heads. I have complete dialogues with myself. There are at times 10 people acting out a play in my mind chatter. What annoys me the most is that it's usually the negative side of me - the fear, the worrywart, and the obsessive chatter - that just won't stop. It can drive me mad. The only way I can escape from it is by taking action. Getting out of mind chatter isn't always so easy. But when you shift your mindset and say "next," everything starts to shift. Deepak Chopra talked about mind chatter at Oprah's Live Class. The audience said, "Really just say Next? Yeah, YOU try it!” He responded with, “I have, and this is what works. Go to your NEXT thought. It’s as simple as that. Try it!” Take a moment and think of something positive about yourself. Imagine something that you enjoy, that makes you feel good. I love to cook so I think of that. It can be anything: a friend, a memory, a traveled experience, or a lover. This will help you get you out of your mind voices and all of the negativity, taking you to your NEXT thought. The real awakening here is that it's all about learning to just live in the Now! Here are some things that have helped me. Maybe, these action steps can help you as well: - I ride my bike (this is actually is one of the most spiritual exercises you can do for yourself. Let go of the “stuck” and old emotions while riding in nature. It’s a true gift)
- I sometimes put on soothing music, get quiet and meditate (mediating can be so healing. It let's you get rid of all the emotions that are riling up inside of you. Most of the voices are probably fear based and ego driven. This is really where the mind voices go to town on you. The old chatter comes in bringing old pain, fear and rejection…just old, crummy stuff)
When we relax, breathe and stop taking ourselves so seriously, that's where the unfolding and love comes through. Meditating gets us clear and grounded so that we can possibly be quieter in our minds. It is a wonderful way to say goodbye to the painful mind voices we project on ourselves. It is our own internal mind voices that create our pain and inner turmoil. Let it go, exercise, say “NEXT,” meditate and see how those excessive voices just start to vanish. Phew! Doesn't that feel good? *Please comment below and share with your friends: www.iadoreme.com/blog.html Hugs, Betsy Karp, Founder of i adore me
 Last night at the JCC in Manhattan, I went to a meditation course on “The Color of Silence”. I was really intrigued and wanted to know what it all meant. I quickly learned that even silence has a color. Color is my thing. I live, breathe and eat it, so I wanted to know more. Shalom, which means peace in Hebrew, was the name of our teacher (a very suited name for a meditation teacher). He had the coolest yarmulke (a Jewish hat) on his head made up of all different colors. The room was dark and ice cold with lots of blankets and pillows on the floor. He first had us envision a color we felt fond of and/or connected to. I thought of the color green. Green makes me think of abundance, growth, grass and being outside in nature. We closed our eyes and I drifted off, imagining myself tossing and rolling in a sea of grass. I was enjoying myself, reminiscing of my childhood days of when I was just 5 years old. I felt so happy and free. He then led us in a guided meditation of a blossoming rose garden. During the meditation, he asked us to pick our favorite color rose. He described all these beautiful colors ranging from soft cream to pale, to buttercup yellow, to shades of peach and apricot, and then to deeper tones of crimson and dark berry. I chose soft buttercup. I just love that color. It was a very long meditation with some imagery, then moving on to pure silence. I found myself getting lost in the silence and completely still. It seemed to go on forever but the mediation was just 20 minutes. What is really so wonderful about meditation is that it gets your emotions out of the way. It allows you to think and act clearly. It helps ground you and opens you up to new possibilities. It is so relaxing once you find your rhythm and get into the practice of it all. There were 10 of us in the group. After we were done with the meditation, we went around the room describing what our color was and what it meant to us. One woman talked about the color peach. She had grown up on a peach orchard in California. One of her all-time favorite memories was of her grandfather letting her go with him on his daily route, picking peaches. She loved the smell, the taste and the color peach. It was a mixture of warm yellow and orange tones. The meditation brought her right back to that fond and playful memory of her childhood. She stated, “I came here tonight, because I was feeling so stuck in my life and this has made me feel free and happy!” Many of us chimed in, because we all agreed. This exercise made us feel good about ourselves and helped us to feel free in our minds and in our thoughts. In order to create and manifest what you want in life, you must relax, breathe and meditate. You need to get clear on what it is that you really want. So close your eyes, imagine your favorite color, and see where those thoughts bring you. What is your color? Maybe now you to can feel the color of silence! Doesn’t it feel great! *Please comment and share with your friends: www.iadoreme.com/blog.html Hugs, Betsy Karp, Founder of i adore me
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