Sparked!

We are not equipped for the speed of the 21st century. Simple practices can show you how to adapt.

Meet Johnny Gillespie—a master mechanic of body and mind with decades of experience teaching simple ways to move and breathe more efficiently and live with more integrity and joy. In this episode we talk about morning routines, essential practices for healthy living and, of course, living in flow. Tune in for a delightful conversations between old friends chock full of laughter and ah-ha's.

Related episodes and blogs:

* Blog: Winter Got Your Down? Move Around.

* #91: Get Out Of Your Head. Live Body First

* #8: Move Your Body. Train Your Mind. 

 

* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow

* Join me April 28-31 at Kripalu Center for Harness The Power Of Flow: Exploring optimal states through yoga, meditation and nature

White Space. They are moments, minutes, or hours of unscheduled time when you stop doing stuff and simply experience life as in real time.

One of the benefits of getting older is being able to predict on Monday morning how I'm likely to feel by Friday afternoon. This crystal ball shows up as my color-coded weekly calendar. The more color on my spreadsheet, the more I need to pay attention.

Here's why:

* A loaded calendar means more activity and the need to be vigilant about self-care.

* Less color on the page means more white space.

* More white space means more clarity, peace and even joy.

I live for white space.

Discover the joy of lingering, how to schedule empty pockets of time and how to sneak moments of white space.

Mentions and More:

Episode 28 Let's Optimize Day

Blog Post: The Joy Of Unscheduled Space

Blog post: White Space part 1

Blog post: White Space part 2

 

Check out the my book On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine and on the free On The Verge app iTunes and Google Play.

White Space. They are moments, minutes, or hours of unscheduled time when you stop doing stuff and simply experience life as in real time.

One of the benefits of getting older is being able to predict on Monday morning how I'm likely to feel by Friday afternoon. This crystal ball shows up as my color-coded weekly calendar. The more color on my spreadsheet, the more I need to pay attention.

Here's why:

* A loaded calendar means more activity and the need to be vigilant about self-care.

* Less color on the page means more white space.

* More white space means more clarity, peace and even joy.

I live for white space.

Discover the joy of lingering, how to schedule empty pockets of time and how to sneak moments of white space.

Mentions and More:

Episode 28 Let's Optimize Day

Blog Post: The Joy Of Unscheduled Space

Blog post: White Space part 1

Blog post: White Space part 2

 

Check out the my book On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine and on the free On The Verge app iTunes and Google Play.

Get high on life. Step up to the plate and bang this day out of the park.

Consider this, what makes you high and what if it sounds crazy, and is different than how you're living right now?

What really makes you high? Tick tock, tick tock. C'mon just answer the question.

These days are going by fast. If we don't take the time to know what makes our heart sing, we may die wondering. Don't die wondering. 

Pause. Be willing to get real with yourself and name what makes you high. Then, go and schedule a few dates with yourself in your calendar. Schedule time to be with friends or to take that class you've been wanting to try or better yet, do something completely out of character.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

What are you waiting for?

In fact, why not go for real deal high definition highs? You know, those juicy highs that get down into your soul, that light you up at the cellular level, that give you goose bumps. If you haven't yet named one or two then do it now. Sit yourself down, take out pen and paper and start listing things, places, situations and people that make you come alive—that make you high.

Your list may include things you loved to do as a kid (for me it was watching the sunset on a beach), or as a teenager (trail running with my girlfriends) or in your 20's, 30's, 40's. What is holding you back? Why haven't you done them lately?

I know it can be scary to admit that you don't have a whole lot of Hell Yeah's in your life right now but please know, YOU'RE NOT LATE.

You are not late. You have today to start getting real and getting high. Why not make today the day to do one thing that makes you scream, HELL YEAH!

What is it?  Don't wait another day to find out.

Mentions and More

Site: Character Strengths Test

Song: What are you searching for?

Related episodes and blogs:

* #102: Stop With The Self Help

* #101: Don't Die Wondering. Come Alive Today.

* #98: The Fierce Urgency of Now

* #96: What is Your Hell Yeah? 

-----------

* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow

Get high on life. Step up to the plate and bang this day out of the park.

Consider this, what makes you high and what if it sounds crazy, and is different than how you're living right now?

What really makes you high? Tick tock, tick tock. C'mon just answer the question.

These days are going by fast. If we don't take the time to know what makes our heart sing, we may die wondering. Don't die wondering. 

Pause. Be willing to get real with yourself and name what makes you high. Then, go and schedule a few dates with yourself in your calendar. Schedule time to be with friends or to take that class you've been wanting to try or better yet, do something completely out of character.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

What are you waiting for?

In fact, why not go for real deal high definition highs? You know, those juicy highs that get down into your soul, that light you up at the cellular level, that give you goose bumps. If you haven't yet named one or two then do it now. Sit yourself down, take out pen and paper and start listing things, places, situations and people that make you come alive—that make you high.

Your list may include things you loved to do as a kid (for me it was watching the sunset on a beach), or as a teenager (trail running with my girlfriends) or in your 20's, 30's, 40's. What is holding you back? Why haven't you done them lately?

I know it can be scary to admit that you don't have a whole lot of Hell Yeah's in your life right now but please know, YOU'RE NOT LATE.

You are not late. You have today to start getting real and getting high. Why not make today the day to do one thing that makes you scream, HELL YEAH!

What is it?  Don't wait another day to find out.

Mentions and More

Site: Character Strengths Test

Song: What are you searching for?

Related episodes and blogs:

* #102: Stop With The Self Help

* #101: Don't Die Wondering. Come Alive Today.

* #98: The Fierce Urgency of Now

* #96: What is Your Hell Yeah? 

-----------

* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow

Stop wasting your time on self-help. Instead, lean into what makes you come alive.

Do you know what makes your heart sing? If not go find out. And then go do it. In this fiery episode Cara encourages you to get off the self-help hamster wheel and get back to living your life. Stop the self-loathing and the shame. Stop the constant and never-ending improvement. Instead of wasting your time with self-help books and stuff you don’t like to do, lean into what makes you come alive. Spend more of your few and precious days doing that.

You don’t have to go yoga. You don’t have to go the gym. Move your body in a way that you like to move.

Self-help and self-loathing are getting us nowhere. Many of us are stuck in a cycle of searching, searching, searching. So gather up your courage and get off the hamster wheel once and for all so that you can get back to living your life. Are you in?

Mentions and More

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. And go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. - Howard Thurman

Related episodes and blogs:

* #101: Don't Die Wondering. Come Alive Today.

* #98: The Fierce Urgency of Now

* #3: Being Fully Alive

* Catch a Glimpse of Being Fully Alive

-----------

* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow

Stop wasting your time on self-help. Instead, lean into what makes you come alive.

Do you know what makes your heart sing? If not go find out. And then go do it. In this fiery episode Cara encourages you to get off the self-help hamster wheel and get back to living your life. Stop the self-loathing and the shame. Stop the constant and never-ending improvement. Instead of wasting your time with self-help books and stuff you don’t like to do, lean into what makes you come alive. Spend more of your few and precious days doing that.

You don’t have to go yoga. You don’t have to go the gym. Move your body in a way that you like to move.

Self-help and self-loathing are getting us nowhere. Many of us are stuck in a cycle of searching, searching, searching. So gather up your courage and get off the hamster wheel once and for all so that you can get back to living your life. Are you in?

Mentions and More

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. And go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. - Howard Thurman

Related episodes and blogs:

* #101: Don't Die Wondering. Come Alive Today.

* #98: The Fierce Urgency of Now

* #3: Being Fully Alive

* Catch a Glimpse of Being Fully Alive

-----------

* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow

Feeling fully alive. Schedule some into your day, week and month.

What does it feels like to come alive? When was the last time you felt exhilarated or electrified? What were you doing and who were you with? In this episode Cara challenges you to think about what lights you up and makes your heart sing. Furthermore, she explores what happens when we get stuck in patterns and ruts and how to intentionally schedule ways to come alive into your daily routine, week, month and year.

In addition, she encourages you to name what you do to get out of your head and energize your life. Finally, she offers you her personal inspiration, to not hide from big experience, to step up and into life fully. And, most importantly, don’t die wondering what you might have missed.

Mentions and More

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. And go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. - Robert Anton Wilson.

Related episodes and blogs:

* #98: The Fierce Urgency of Now

* #3: Being Fully Alive

* Catch a Glimpse of Being Fully Alive

-----------

* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow

Feeling fully alive. Schedule some into your day, week and month.

What does it feels like to come alive? When was the last time you felt exhilarated or electrified? What were you doing and who were you with? In this episode Cara challenges you to think about what lights you up and makes your heart sing. Furthermore, she explores what happens when we get stuck in patterns and ruts and how to intentionally schedule ways to come alive into your daily routine, week, month and year.

In addition, she encourages you to name what you do to get out of your head and energize your life. Finally, she offers you her personal inspiration, to not hide from big experience, to step up and into life fully. And, most importantly, don’t die wondering what you might have missed.

Mentions and More

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. And go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. - Robert Anton Wilson.

Related episodes and blogs:

* #98: The Fierce Urgency of Now

* #3: Being Fully Alive

* Catch a Glimpse of Being Fully Alive

-----------

* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow

When your mind feels frantic or frazzled try sky gazing.

In this episode, Cara explains why this micro-practice opens our mind. You’ll learn how catching a glimpse of the expansive sky is not only settling, it’s downright mind blowing. Furthermore, discover how this simple Tibetan Buddhist practice comes from the tradition of Dzogchen aimed at discovering and continuing in the natural state of being. Not only does sky gazing offer us a glimpse into our natural sense of clarity, this practice also invokes a sense of awe. According to studies at UC Berkeley, experiencing awe expands our perception of time and enhances our sense of wellbeing. When you’re feeling fixed and closed, take a few minutes to blow your mind. Try sky gazing out a window or, better yet, get outside. This micro-practice can be done day or night. Listen until the end for a guided practice.

Sky Gazing Instructions:

Excerpt from On The Verge: Wake up, Show up, and Shine

*

Settle into your seat or lie down. Set your timer for at least  2-5 minutes.

*

Close your eyes and take three deep breaths.

*

Open your eyes and look at the sky. Rest your gaze softly on the wide open sky, not focused on any particular object.

*

With each exhalation, allow thoughts, distractions, and emotional tensions to gently release out of you into the vast sky. If a thought comes up, simply focus your attention on your next exhalation and allow the thought to pass.

*

Repeat as often as necessary.

*

Allow yourself to be absorbed in looking at the sky, resting in the space inside of you, around you, and above you.

*

Notice your experience.

*

Continue until your timer goes off or, better yet, stay for as long as you like.

Related episodes:

* #50: Stable Mind. Stable Body

* #20: Meet Your Mind

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* For more on my teachings read  On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up and Shine 

* My new course on Insight Timer for only $5: 10 Strategies for Living in Flow