Harness Your Power: Beyond Shame to Seeing Commonality



Just before hiting the runway.  Empowered.

 I had a fantastic time last week at the Women Empowering Women event in Philadelphia.  It was a tremendous day of sisterhood, connection, and apprecation of what we as women share in common.

In the morning, there was an intimate discussion forum.  More than twenty women from many different walks of life (CEO, Psychiatrist, Lawyer, Doctor, Life Coach, recovering drug addicts, formerly homeless) spent three hours talking.  Powerful, transformative moments occured as woman after woman shared stories of challenges and triumphs. 

It is clear to me that giving voice to our stories opens us to feeling empowered, to connecting with others and to seeing that WE ARE NOT ALONE.  The stories shared during the forum had common themes of low self-esteem, body image struggles, rape, sexual abuse, betrayal, abandonment by parents and addictions.  Regardless of titles, economic status or skin color, there was COMMONALITY.  Each woman has her own story--a dynamic one of personal growth. 

I cried. I laughed.  I hugged.  I felt it all very deeply.  I shared my own story from childhood, one I hadn't shared in many years.  It felt good to express what was there, shed a few tears and heal more deeply.

We are more similar than different.  Don't allow your pain to cause you to hide.  You are not alone. Your pain may come in the form of your unique story, but each human being has experienced some form of pain. 

Find someone you trust to confide in.  Voice what needs to be said.  Get it out in the open in a safe place so that you can be heard.  By telling it aloud you open the door to more freedom and peace than you may have right now.  If you aren't ready to say it to another person, take time to journal about it.  Find an outlet for self-expression that allows you to process the experience and move forward.

Consider these words, "If we want to change our lives, our relationships or even the world we must start by understanding and overcoming the shame that keeps us silent" (Anonymous Professor).

Your pain turns into beautiful colors woven into the fabric of your remarkable being.
Don't be ashamed, rather, become empowered.  Be proud of who you are!
 
With my love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
 
P.S. I also got to have fun as a model in the fashion show.  Enjoy the pictures :)



Getting Make-Up - how glamorous !



Striking a pose.



Strutting on the runway....too fun!



Sisterhood, Beautiful Women Connected



Harness Your Power: Live & Love for Today

In light of the recent occurences in Haiti, I have reminded that TODAY truly is the only day we have.  We never know how our lives might change in an instant.  In fact, a family friend died suddenly this week.  She had no idea her time to move on would arrive so quickly.  It did.

I was reminded of a video I created called Life Is a Dash .  It goes by so quickly.  Please watch this and make sure you live with purpose and passion. 

Live for today.  Love with all your heart.  Move beyond judgment and drama and enjoy the people in your life.  Find what you have in common rather than fighting over differences of opinion.  Follow your heart and your dreams.  Don't let fear or self-doubt keep you from doing what you love.  Take steps every day to create a joyful, happy, peaceful life experience.

Observe your thinking.  Choose to focus your thinking time on what you WANT to experience.  Let go of past guilt and shame.  Move into living today.  Let go of future worry.  Move into life today.

I am here to help and support you in living your best life.
I choose to live on purpose.
I choose to find the beauty in each moment.

Will you join me?

With my deepest love,
Patricia Omoqui, The Thought Dr.
http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/

Let Your Light Shine This Week!

I was reminded of a wonderful analogy this week -- one that I knew from my days growing up and going to Sunday School. Do you remember the song, "I'm Going to Let it Shine?" The part that really got me thinking this week is where it says: "Hide it under a bushel, No! I'm going to let it shine." I never understood what the "bushel" represented before. But, as I was coaching my clients this week, it became so obvious to me.

I believe that our inner lights are hidden under fear, stress, worry, self-doubt, shame and guilt. These are all part of the "bushel" that we put over our inner light. Our inner light is still shining inside of us. . it is just waiting for us to remove the layers of fear that have built up over the years. As we peel back these layers one by one, we begin to get a peek of our inner light. The more fear we remove, the more our inner light shines. When that light shines, it illuminates our World!

One of my clients this week was focused on some challenging life circumstances -- and he was feeling overwhelmed by what was happening. As we talked, it became evident that he was making a lot of assumptions -- assuming that the worst case scenario might happen in each situation. As we talked and looked at the assumptions and the fear behind the assumptions, he began to see that it was possible to shift his thinking and focus on the BEST CASE scenarios instead.

We can begin to shift our thinking and make new assumptions. The key is that in every situation where we feel the panic, the fear, and the worry set in, we have to step back to understand "WHY?" we are feeling the way we do. If we observe our mind and watch our thoughts we can clearly understand the feelings we are having. Then, we can learn to shift our thinking.

As my client finished up the week, he started to see that much of his worry was needless -- the situations were turning out in a very positive way for him. The energy he was spending on being worried and upset was keeping him from focusing on clarifying and moving towards his dreams.

The question for each of us to answer this week is, "Can I assume the best will happen rather than the worst?" As you do assume the best of people, of situations and of yourself, you will allow your light to shine in the World.

The World needs more of us to unleash our Inner Lights. Let's shine this week. Why feel the worry and stress of the holiday? Could we instead feel the joy, the excitement, the beauty of sharing our love? How we feel and how bright our light can shine is merely dependent on how we focus our mind.

It's exciting to know this. It's even more satisfying to live this truth.

Ok, so, no more hiding your Inner Light. It's time to shine again! "Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!"

A big hug to you all.
May this week ahead of you be full of positive thoughts and wonderful excitement.

I trust you can see and feel my light shining. I send you beautiful energy this week and hold this truth for all of us.

Trish

p.s. I still have a space or two left in my Circle of Power Life Coaching Group. Check out http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/circleofpower.html for more details. If you sign up by Dec. 17th you will receive a discount.

p.p.s. If you really want to start off the New Year moving at the speed of light towards your dreams, then sign-up for one-on-one life coaching. You will be launched into 2008 in a way you could never have imagined! Check out what other clients have said: http://www.patriciaomoqui.com/lifecoach.html (see the bottom of the page).