Dare to Glow

2011 has been a year of changes for many of us. I am so grateful of having worked with amazing women who got married, accepted promotions at work, decided with courage a career change -and many other life-changing decisions .

It is  very rewarding to see how many people are following the call to be more of who they used to be . How was the year 2011 for you ?

Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end?  Has a long-lasting friendship ended all of a sudden? You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened.
You could also chose to look back from a different place . I want to share with you ancient wisdom about this time of the year, and how to make resolutions that bring growth and positive change.
Enjoying the dark

I is a very special time of the year where we take time to think about what happened and make resolutions for the new year. But, from what place do you take resolutions ?

Ancient wisdom reminds us that Winter Solstice (this year the 21 December in the northern hemisphere) is the longest night of the year. It is in the dark that we will find light once again. This date varies from year to year, dependent upon the elliptical path of the Earth around our Sun.

Throughout the ancient cultures of the northern world the Winter Solstice is recognized as a powerful time, a time that commands the respect of acknowledgment and celebration. The practice would bring light (insights) over the darkness.

It is a journey out of darkness, bringing forth a time of forgiveness and of unburdening yourselves; and finally a time for gratitude and gifting. The practice ask us to prepare ourselves to receive the new in our lives.

The Learner and The Master

From what place do you look back ?  From what place do you take resolutions ?

The practice reminds us that there should be no sense of guilt or shame. If you didn’t accomplish or didn’t do what you said you were going to do, do not criticize. ??You are asked to look back with the curiosity and humility of the learner, and with the knowledge and experience of the master. You are asked to remember that you are both, the learner and the master of your own life. It is about learning from what happened and decide whether you are going to change it to make it better, or leave it behind.  

Preparing for the New

Stop turning on your emotional television to watch again and again the episodes where you suffered: that is only poisoning you.
Nothing is more dangerous than not accepting a situation. In these days of darkness, you are asked to revise, learn and let go of what didn’t serve you to become a better, wiser and more confident person .
Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world . As I always say, the inside reflects in the outside. Getting rid of certain memories (and things in general !)  also means making some room for other memories to take their place.
The practice says that this time of celebration is to be grateful for all what has been positive. These events nourish your self-confidence. Without forgetting to thank all the lessons learned, now that you have the insights and the awareness .

It’s about closing a Cycle

Moving from one cycle to the next one means that there will be a period of transition where adjustments need to be made.  The practice reminds us to look into nature and notice the grace of its cycles and transitions : do not be afraid to change.
Close your cycle. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because that no longer fits your life.

Shut the door, change the record, clean the house, shake off the dust, donate things.
Be ready to receive the new.

If you could stop being who you were, what would your life be like with the new you ?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

pst!

Think about it : every January 1, everyone wakes up with the best intentions of improving themselves and living a better life. If the resolutions were made from a place where a tiny bit of frustration or resentment existed, or if they were commanded by the ego (which will focus on material accomplishments), these resolutions will fade away by mid-February.
Resolutions that last are made with the heart. From a place of kindness and understanding. 

Most people live their life going around unconscious, without noticing either their inner world or the outside world. When you are unconscious, you don’t really see all of what you have, all what the world has to offer.

Now that you have a practice to face fear with kindness and a practice to live in the present moment with an open heart so you learn from then, you are gaining the awareness that is needed to practice gratitude for all what you have, all what you are.

ADVICE #3 : LIVE IN A STATE OF ABUNDANCE & LOVE

Practicing gratitude for all you have is an anchor to stop, breath and reflect about the abundance in your life, and in the world.

It opens you up to possibilities, to opportunities for evolution. You will stop living in scarcity and in the fear of not getting enough .

The instructions for this practice include 2 rituals that I found are the most powerful to unlock transformation. They are very simple and please, feel free to create your own ritual .

A. The first one is carrying a Diary of Gratitude with you. In this diary, you will write down all the things you love in your life, and all the things you would love to have, happen, experience. It is important that you write them as if they were already happening within you.

Examples:
The universe is the source of …. and I am grateful for all of … I have now in my life.
I am grateful to the Universe for…….. and I am willing to share this with …….

You can write little sentences or words, in the morning or in the evening, on the go, at the office. The idea is to build up simple, little moments to reflect and contemplate all what you love in your life.

B. Another ritual is to organize Gratitude Dinners. These are very special events, where you become the source of love and you are in charge to spread it around ! The idea is to choose very special guests that share the same mind set and are ready to celebrate each other accomplishments and happiness. The power of these events is amazing, because you have to read out loud and toast what are you grateful for, the power of the words and cheers raises the vibration of all participants.

Think of 4 or 5 people you would like to share this experience with. Each of the guests has to bring along a list of things they are grateful for.

At the beginning of the evening, while everyone is with a low level of alcohol (remember is about consciousness!), make a toast for each of the points on everyone’s lists, when they ready it out loud. Something like:
    -    ‘I am very grateful for/to…..’
    -    ‘Cheers!’
    -    and then the next guest… until all lists are finished.
    -    Proceed to dinner and celebration.

Now that you are here, stop for a few seconds and think : What are you grateful for ?

Until tomorrow,

Stay light and live inspired,

Carolina Rodriguez Barros
Founder, Director & Glowing Master?Dare to Glow.com

Number 1 is Unity and 11 is the higher energy in the Universe, which makes the 11:11:11 a special day for all of us who are awakening to a new consciousness .

The truth is that anyone can benefit from this change by choosing a path of awareness and gratitude. The awakening to the present moment is the great teacher that can guide you when navigating a journey of self-knowledge.

ADVICE #2 : STAY STILL

Learning from the present moment means being able to notice the thoughts and emotions that arise within you in a certain situation. Feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy and fear are actually very clear moments that teach you what is it that is holding you back. They are like messengers that, with terrifying clarity, will show you exactly where you are stuck. Another opportunity for evolution.

This very moment is the prefect teacher, and, luckily, it is with you wherever you are . That is why I always say, the journey is inwards, answers and growth is not outside us.

How do I learn from the present moment?

The practice is simple but not easy. It takes commitment to it because you - we all are - are trained to immediately hate and react to te situations that make you uncomfortable.  The instruction for this practice is :

Do not REACT

When those thoughts and feelings arise within you, take a deep breath and stand still. Do not react as you will normally do. Do not answer the email, do not make the phone call or raise your voice, do not leave the room and bang the door . Do not react.

Stand still and observe what are you thinking and what are you feeling. You will notice that slowly you will come to detach yourself from them and you will see trough, another way of looking at things and therefore, feeling about the situation. Then ask yourself :

How can I do/react/look at this in a different way ?

This is a magic question. Put it in practice right away with every simple thing when you finish reading this article. Be aware that this is not positive thinking: so do not escape by painting things pink . 

Awareness is found in your pleasure and your pain, confusion and wisdom, available every moment for free and in many forms . Commit to the practice and honor the journey .

Until tomorrow,

Stay light and live inspired,

Carolina Rodriguez Barros
Founder, Director & Glowing Master?Dare to Glow.com??

More info about Dare to Glow's Activities and Workshops here 

For the communities who foresaw the New Cycle, the year 2011 is the year of the Great Preparation .

Did you feel it ?
Was 2011 a year of changes for you?

This year is the year of connecting the dots in our life. A year to organize and connect all lose ends. This year, humanity - that means, all of us, with no exception- is exposed to evolutionary opportunities. The possibility of finding your life purpose, realizing your dreams, closing unfinished issues in your life, healing relationships and health, achieving wealth, starting a spiritual journey.

ADVICE #1 : FACE CHANGE FEARLESSLY

Do not resist change. What you resist, persists. One of the main things we all need to remember by the 11:11:11 is that if a situation of change presents to us, it is because we are ready for it. It is an opportunity to evolve .

Surrender to the situation instead. If it has to fall apart, then let it all fall. Trust that you will see thought when it finishes falling. If it is taking longer than expected, accept it : everything has a cycle - and you are not in control of it .

Trust the process. When you remember you can trust the cycle itself, you can navigate change fearless. Notice that fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.  Ask yourself :

Is this fear really mine ?
Is this fear created by my environment ?
Who I would be without this fear ?
And if everything changes, what is the worst that can happen ?

The transformative power of facing change fearlessly is that you are going to be continually humbled. This practice do not allow you to hold on to your ideas or beliefs.  With this practice, you start stepping into your heart, you start noticing the interconnection with other human beings and nature, you start following your inner guidance.

When you look fear into its eyes, you develop unconditional compassion towards yourself : right there you stop cheating yourself about the present moment and you realize that fear of the unknown is absolutely not necessary here and now.

I let you reflect on this practice and what are the changes you are facing or you would like to make in your life. If fear arises, look it straight and ask yourself these questions. Until you find your truth.

Until tomorrow,


Stay light and live inspired,

Carolina Rodriguez Barros
Founder, Director & Glowing Master?Dare to Glow.com??

 More info about Dare to Glow's Activities and Workshops here

Humanity is waking up .

Can you feel it?

Our hearts are opening.Everything around us is shaking. We are on the verge of a new, universal form of humanity. This process involves change & chaos inside & out. This process already begun, and it will continue for years .

Was 2011 a year of changes or challenges for you?

If yes, let me reassure you that this is all part of a birthing process, labour pains just prior to the emergence of a new way of being. Your soul is calling you to awaken to your authentic self, your higher self and your true purpose. This process is starting to affect millions of people all over the world & the process is escalating .

I need to pass a message I understood I must share with you. I learned what I am going to tell you in my trips to Guatemala and Israel; during my spiritual journeys with the Mayas and the training as Reiki Master that I just completed.

Awakening the Feminine

You may have heard or read this phrase many times. But what is it?

?The Mayan Grandparents explained to me that the Feminine Awakening is the return to LOVE. To a heart-centered life. Away from sexuality or a question of gender, the awakening of the feminine happen both in men and women . ??Love will be, in this new humanity, the force to transform and create.  We will share who we are and what we do from a place of Love. And do not worry, 2012 is not the end of the world. The Mayan's prediction speaks about evolution .??

My work is devoted to empower women. So when in Guatemala, I asked our Grandmother 'If women are awakening, why are they struggling and fighting ? How can we help them to create the life they dream ?'

Women are waking up and remembering to LOVE. Remembering to love themselves unconditionally, to value and honor everything women are, grounded in their femininity. The Grandmother told me, 'only when a woman respects who she is will be able to take the space she wants. Women do not have to fight or struggle. But confrontations in the work-place and in relationships are normal. This is what happens when women start to wake up finding themselves in places that they do not want to be in anymore.'

Our Grandmother was clear : Women must understand and master their true power : Intuition + Vision (feeling and seeing) and practice it with kindness.

The message I have to pass on is a WAKE UP CALL . In this new world, women are considered the agents of change. Women are the ones who will generate and transform the society. They will become the guardians of our communities. From a place of Love, understanding the Universal Laws and the natural cycles .

Can you see how many women are being elected presidents, named CEOs  and building a whole new economy with their businesses???The time is now. We are all being called to step up & live consciously, positively. The energetic shifts & awakenings are accelerating & we need to build strong foundations to weather the challenges of our age .

How do we do this?

This week is a special week and I decided to follow my call in duty and share with you, each day of this week, one simple and down-to-earth practice combined with timeless wisdom to help you navigate these uncertain times .??You may have heard about the 11:11:11 - which is this Friday! Many things are written and said about this special day and the time we are living. To be honest with you, I didn't really understand all this last December, but I felt curious enough to do my own research and experience . 11:11:11 is a day of awakening to a new consciousness. The force of Love and the feel of Unity may be with you these days and stay forever .

We will talk soon .

Some women ignored the topic of beauty thinking that is only vanity .

Others feel frustrated, as they think beauty is too expensive,  they are too old or too fat to bother about it .

Others feel overwhelmed, as they agenda keeps them very busy, away from a relaxing moment at a spa .


Let me tell you a story . I grew up in a beautiful apartment that my parents designed for our family of 5 : they are architects. I studied product design, where during 5 years I learned to research and design beautiful products so the consumer -you- would respond positively to them among other products. As if the designer could come up with a definition of what is considered beautiful by you!

I also learned what I call the beauty paradox : my years as a model, with my skin exposed to cameras and lights and in touch with gorgeous fabrics, make up and perfume, were the years where I felt the least beautiful. The imposed ideas and values about what is beautiful in a woman and what is not (and my immaturity) led me to anorexia. I suffered for a couple of years until I could finally understand that beauty comes from accepting all what we are, the body we have, at the moment in life we are in. Only once I accepted this, I could move on into making the most of it and learning new things to improve, enhance or change what I felt like changing.

It was one of my various life's journey, where I learned that beauty is nothing superficial, it is basically deep emotional feeling, related to love and respect.

Love and respect for what we are, what we have, inside and outside us.
Love and respect for the people we encounter throughout life.
Love and respect for the opportunities that show up on our way.
Love and respect for every day we are alive.

Finally I have to accept that to me, feeling beauty and being surrounded with it is vital. To me, one day without beauty it is a wasted day. So I look into everything searching for what is beautiful within.

In my work with so many women, I encounter that many of them are trapped in this beauty paradox : is it really important or not ? Superficial ? A waste of time and money ?

At Bioty Loges we recently launched, I observed how much we all need to look into beauty to redefine it for each of us. The magic of these groups is that the reflection is done in a community, where secrets and practices are shared. The bonding that can be created with other women, with ourselves and with our image in the mirror it has no precedents : we totally forgot about how beauty makes us feel .

We forgot that you feel beautiful we don't need to be superficial, we don't need to be young and slim, we don't need to 'have time' in our agenda. We also forgot that we should not give our power away to brands and products to make us feel beautiful.

We forgot that feeling beautiful empowers us.

I hope we start remembering to share our beauty, so we create beauty, and we receive beauty.

This is an evolutionary step, that will allow each of us to grow grounded and centred in our very essence, and in the beauty of it.

I really wish you can take a moment to reflect how do you feel about beauty. What do you need to feel the beauty. And how would your life be, if you face your day from a place of beauty.

Because when you feel the beauty within and allow it to reflect through you, every day of your life is magically beautiful.

Stay fabulous, and live with passion!

Carolina Rodriguez Barros
Founder, Director & Glowing Master

Dare to Glow.com

'Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.'  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do you feel you don't know how to deal with conflict?
Do you feel that you are attracting conflictual situations?
Are you surrounded by difficult people?

Brigitte experienced what it is like to detect your emotional triggers that are preventing you from being the person you want to be, and get rid of them! Emotional triggers created by specific events in your early life that are today a pattern, making you think, feel and act in the same way when you face certain situations or people. 

The Identity Decoding method detects the sequence of emotional triggers to be reprogrammed so that you can move onto the New You in a very short period of time.

Watch the video here!

Working with a wide range of women, I have found that many are often caught between two worlds, the OLD and the NEW (table, right). Women in this transition use the word  ‘crossroad’ to describe the turning point in their lives.

In this OLD world, women came to believe that the knowledge they have is what defined what they could do and where they could go or work. But in the NEW world they are moving into, it is who they are BEING that defines what they can become, the meaning and value they can co-create in their lives.

Women coming out of the old world tell me that they quit their jobs because they did not like who they were becoming — so they are following the inner call to a new place. The thing is, it is not always easy to find guidance and directions when you are coming out of something you know and need to step into a place that is unknown and uncertain.

Are you also at a crossroad and seeking the essence of who you are and what you do?

In my resent journey to the heart of the Mayas in Guatemala, I learned about why most of us feel the call for transformation. Why most of us have things in life that are changing: job transitions, relationships break ups, health and energy issues, questions about identity ...

The world and the whole universe are changing. We are at the end of a cycle. Just take a look at the events around you.

We are all in the transition: from ‘doing’ to ‘becoming’. The Mayas taught me many things. One of them is that the transformation is about integrating the feminine and masculine energy. It is about tapping into that resource you already have and that unlocks your potential to ‘becoming’ who you are here to become.

“… spiritually the female will now have her turn to lead mankind into the New Light. And eventually, this female spiritual light will permeate the entire range of human experience from female leaders in business and religion to female leaders of state ... this female light will become so strong as to become obvious to all who live on this dear planet and will continue to grow for thousands of years.” Drunvalo Melchizedek, Serpent of Light

The question may still be resonating in your head, the same question I asked myself few years back and what my clients bring to the consultation. Where do I go for guidance? How do I change my life?

My new workbook, How Centred Are You?, is designed to help you moving from the OLD to the NEW. I lead you through five quick steps of reflection to help you define what the NEW state will look like for you.

Carolina Rodriguez Barros
Founder and Glowing Master
DareToGlow.com 

Think about how you walk to reach the next step. You have to pass your body weight from one leg to another and become unbalanced in order to lift your foot and make a step. You walk being unbalanced. You go from one place to the other in a state of unbalance. The secret you learn intuitively as a toddler, as I teach in my body awareness classes, is to find your centre — the place where your weight and body are stable so you can pass through every single step without falling down. The same is true with life: To be balanced without falling down, you have to find your centre.

Most women I encounter feel that something is changing in their lives—or that something needs to change. The number one mistake we all make — I did it myself —  is to try to change things outside ourselves in a quest to find happiness, passion and balance. In my own journey, I came to realise that all those things come from within us.

This is something I work with my clients about all the time. When they feel something is brewing inside them, or uncomfortable, it is a sign for change or transformation.

In my new workbook, How Centred Are You?,  I guide you through 5 steps for reflection and centring, so that, even though permanent balance is impossible, you learn to create balance in the moment, and allow yourself to grow.

Reflection #1: Where is my heart?
Reflection #2: How can I act in my own enlightened self-interest?
Reflection #3: What am I grateful for?
Reflection #4: What should be my signature style?
Reflection #5: What does success look like to me?

Click here to download  this  FREE workbook right now!

One of the main issues in women's wardrobes is the quantity of items (usually randomly bought) that are seating there without being worn. Normally, this causes frustration and anxiety, sometimes guiltiness and shame, for having so many things yet nothing to wear!

Here is a solution, and alternative to a Wardrobe Edition with a professional Image Consultant:

The Malaysian ULTRA
fashion label has launched an eco-minded 10-piece women’s wardrobe set
that’s designed to offer — through mixing and matching — enough outfits
to last a whole year.

Website: www.theultraultra.com/?page_id=931

Continue reading "10-piece wardrobe designed to span a year" »

The 360 Entrepreneurship Summit is designed for both experienced and new business owners, delivering an exiting and varied program to develop business capacity, leadership and growth for women enterprise.

Women today, represent one of the largest market opportunities in our lifetime both as producers and consumers, and a strong European network of committed, talented women represents an unlimited creative and economic force. And it all starts with you!

The three-day summit will push your success forward like nothing before. Whether you already run a successful company or if you are an aspiring entrepreneur with a business idea, 360 Entrepreneurship will deliver leading edge strategies, tools and resources you need to strengthen your business results and your personal growth.

You can expect high level of training, practical and hands on content, inspiration and great networking opportunities. You’ll enjoy inspiration and advice from internationally renown keynote speakers, panelists and workshop presenters— real-world business owners sharing their experience, stories and best practice. Together they have helped thousands of women create, develop and grow their business.

Join me at 360 Entrepreneurship and all the incredible entrepreneurial women, September 16-18 2011 in Malmö, Sweden.

info@360entrepreneurship.com

Remember the Body Awareness Challenge?In case you didn't see the video, is here!

Well, 14 year study shows how important it is to be in the move not only for your body, but for your health and MIND . The death rate for women who sit 6 hours per day is 40% greater than those who sit 3 hours or less per day.

Is Sitting a Lethal Activity?By JAMES VLAHOS

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17sitting-t.html?_r=2

Read and pass it on!

Remember the Body Awareness Challenge?In case you didn't see the video, is here!

Well, 14 year study shows how important it is to be in the move not only for your body, but for your health and MIND . The death rate for women who sit 6 hours per day is 40% greater than those who sit 3 hours or less per day.

Is Sitting a Lethal Activity?By JAMES VLAHOS

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17sitting-t.html?_r=2

Read and pass it on!

During the Body Analysis sessions, what women experience is the mental shift  that takes place in order to have style and confidence when choosing clothes.
From:
- What's your least favorite body part? And the part you try to camouflage?
- From your teeth to your toes, lips to legs, what is your favorite body part?

Think about it. What answer comes quicker to you?
See. You may be getting dressed with your focus on what you don't like, what you wish to be different or what you are ashamed of.  So you will try to camouflage and hope that they do not realize you gained some weight or how fluffy are your arms after 50 .

How is this way of thinking helping you to bring out the best of you? How positive is your impact in other people, in your work, in your life?

By dressing to flatter your favorite body part, your focus shifts into positive, self reassuring and liberating attitude towards your body and your sense of who you are. Your energy flows into a different place that automatically 'disarms' the unproductive thoughts and feelings.

To flatter your favorite body part, you can:
- wear clear colours.  Light colours reflect light and draw attention to that area. This will accentuate the area and make it appear more prominent…especially when a darker piece of clothing is worn next to it.
- wear accessories: to accentuate your eye colors, your waist, your fine wrists or your feminine and delicate ankles.
And when shopping, observe how the cutting and the colours of the item flatter your favorite body part!

Stay fabulous and live with passion!