December 3, 2010

NEVER TEAR DOWN A MAN'S HOUSE...

My father said to me as I left home to serve my mission, "Son never tear down a mans house until you have built him a new one." The understanding of this statement has changed through the years. At first I understood it on a level that pertained to what I was doing in the mission field. As the years have passed my work has shown me how to apply this statement and to listen to what others understand and know before I speak to what I feel they need. I have learned to value each person as a source of truth and information, I don't have to be "right," just listen and fill in gaps as needed. It started as a quote from my Grandfather to my Father and has become a guide on my path in life.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

October 18, 2010

WHAT IS HOLDING US BACK???

The image that we show the world is in response to how we see the world. Have you ever noticed how insecure we feel as we interact with the world around us? Wondering what others think, guessing and assuming. Or perhaps so closed off that we don't even want to see the world and become bound up in our thoughts. Why do we fear those who are so much like us? Why do we shut out the ones that feel similar to the way we do? We are becoming less connected to the people around us and more connected to the stuff and images that feel safer. It is amazing to me to see what happens when a group of people walk into a room of strangers and walk out in three days feeling like family. The difference is dramatic, eyes brighter, smiles genuine, and a feeling of well being. Why the change? It comes from the abandonment of the image and a regaining of trust in self. When we can see and feel the value of who we are without the external cues and definitions, the world seems safer and we find true acceptance. Image is a reaction to the way we see the world, and the inability to see our true selves.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

October 12, 2010

LIVING A CAREFREE LIFE

This morning as I was hurrying my youngest along for school, I was intrigued with her sense of the carefree. Carefree, what a statement. Free from the cares of the world. This can be a blessing or a curse. The ability to disconnect from the worries and stresses of life can bless us. However this same blessing can cause us to struggle with the challenges of life as well as in relationships in which we need to connect. I love the carefree energy of my daughter it serves as a reminder to me, I can let go of my stresses and also stay balanced.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

September 27, 2010

GRATITUDE BRINGS JOY

There is one energy that will always bring great results, gratitude. It is sometimes hard to see here, in the hot southern part of Utah, but fall has begun. As the end of the year grows closer and the crisp air of fall moves in, it becomes a time of reflection and gratitude. The one emotion that brings constant results of peace and happiness is gratitude. Even if the year has been rough and full of pitfalls and loss, when we focus on what we have accomplished and received, we can plan for next year. Gratitude is an energy of openness and will always produce good fruit. So as the leafs turn to there deep reds, golden yellows let gratitude and reflection become a tradition of fall.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

September 23, 2010

MY THOUGHTS TURN TO MY MOTHER

During my morning meditation, my thoughts turned to my Mother. I do not profess to have been a good son, but quite the opposite. As a young man I was very difficult and struggled with dyslexia and significant learning disabilities. As I moved into high school I found drugs, alcohol, and girls to fill the void and mask the feelings I did not know how to or want to deal with. Later in my early adulthood my mother contracted Alzheimer's and slowly began to slip away. By the time I had learned how to express how I was feeling and started to deal with the feelings of hopelessness I had felt for the first thirty years of my desperate life, my sweet mother had slipped into the depths of her illness. My ability to tell her all the things I wanted to say for all those years was gone. I had smothered all my feelings and covered them with anger and hate. I pushed her away with words and shut her out of my painful life. The night before we took her off life support I stayed with her at the hospital, I pulled the reclining chair next to her bed and held her hand through the night. As I cried to myself I whispered to her, "Please forgive me, please forgive me." I miss my mother, the sweet sound of her voice, the soft hand that would caress my face, the time she took to listen to my day. As I had my morning Meditation my thoughts turned to my mother, they often do.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center


September 14, 2010

TIME OUR FRIEND OR FOE

Last night as we sat by the fire pit, I saw a coal pop and shoot a burning ember towards our feet. It glowed in the night air, and slowly disappeared into the darkness. I was impressed how time can change our perception. This hot burning ember that could have possibly created a smaller fire soon lost its heat and became inert. We can be provided with opportunities and yet not act, allowing time to sweep the moment by. This can come as a moment to say I love you, or a moment to speak your truth, or it may be in business. Time is either our ally or our adversary depending on our response.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

September 8, 2010

ACCEPTING WHAT WE DON'T UNDERSTAND

I heard of a man wanting to burn the Koran on the Anniversary of the September 11th attacks. I was confused. Is the burning of a book going to change the minds of the fanatic sect of a religion? Does the persecution of a belief system change the hearts and minds of its followers? I have never seen or heard of any aggression changing the freedom of choice that is free and untouchable. I have heard of fear and hate spreading like mold in the darkness of ignorance and intolerance. It seems like it is always done under the guise of righteousness and serving a higher purpose, like a parasite living off its host and yet not sharing the values. The only answer I have ever found is the pursuit of knowledge and truth. To risk understanding and accepting what we don't understand and learn from it what we can. I pray that we can rise above the impulsiveness of our humanity, let the day of our mourning be given to respecting those who have passed through the tragic lack of respect to human life.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

September 7, 2010

PARENTING IS A TOUGH SPORT

When I think of raising my kids I can't help but putting it in terms I can understand. First - Taking a snap shot as my first child was placed in my arms, I looked down at her beautiful new eyes and realized it was time to get in the game. Second - The binkie dilemma. Now, How do you get that thing out of there?! I was certain my son was going to ask his best man for the ring and then say, "Here, hold my binkie." Then, There's learning to work as a team. Sometimes I was the coach calling in the plays from the sidelines. Thinking, "Ya, this one will work," Just to find become a broken play, "Ok, now go to bed." "What do you need? Some water?" "What? You want to tell me something?" "GO TO BED!!" "What? You forgot to kiss Mom goodnight?" "AGAHH!!!! Punt! punt! punt!" Sometimes the quarterback is looking to move the team down field only to be blindsided by unexpected bills and broken air conditioners and sometimes the unemployment blitz. Always the equipment manager, fixing broken bikes and broken dreams. Some seasons I felt we ended as champions, others we finished so far back we deserved a first round draft pick. Fourth - The crazed fan or "fanatic" because everyone knows MY kids are the best. Like I said, Parenting is a tough sport. Dad always said, "Son life is hard, get a helmet."


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

September 2, 2010

OUR MIND IS LIKE A CHILD

I find that most people crave peace and serenity, yet we are always pushing for adventure and romance. Both peace and serenity seem to be a wonderful place to reside, a utopian home free from the touch of the world. The challenge is the mind, it grows bored with the lack of stimulation, even with peace in hand. Our thoughts soon become as an unsettled pool of water with ripples, then waves, and soon storms that challenge the utopia we have found. The mind is a child that needs boundaries and discipline, we can spend time teaching it to avoid the boredom and ground it in truth.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

August 30, 2010

STRIPPING AWAY EXPECTATIONS

As parents we can put pressure on ourselves to look and act a certain way in order to do the "right way." When we use this line of thinking, we lose the perspective of acceptance, not just for our children, but of our own humanity. At times stepping back and seeing ourselves in a more human way can help. This is not an excuse for inappropriate behavior, but accepting that we are doing what we can with what we have can and will provide answers. Stripping away the expectations of parenting and doing the best we can is all we can do. After all we love our kids.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

August 25, 2010

THE TRUTH

Truth transcends right or wrong. Truth is truth, it can not be dispelled. Truth does not change, it is eternal in nature and is constant. It can be felt by all yet is not owned or possessed by any. Right or wrong requires debate and proof, it is a constant hunger that consumes a great amount energy. As we look to our moral compass we are better served when we look for truth.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

August 23, 2010

PATIENCE CAN FREE US FROM EXPECTATIONS

There is wisdom in obtaining patience, it can bring a sense  of peace and freedom. Patience is a learned behavior, part of it is derived from the development of faith, the rest in grown through experience. Through faith and experience we learn to discipline our thoughts and emotions, freeing us from expectations. Patience is the acceptance of time and the understanding of its value.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

August 18, 2010

PARENTING CAN BE THE MOST DIFFICULT JOB OF YOUR LIFE

The parent of a struggling child is the parent who needs support the most. Parenting is one of most difficult experience of our life, the challenges are innumerable, from health and illness to discipline and rebellion. Then mix in the fact that we are raising them in this current society and the pressure is almost insurmountable. There is a fear of judgment of others and comments from family and school. If we can take the time to help and build them up in their struggles, we will have increased their chances of helping their youth.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

August 16, 2010

MORNING - A TIME FOR REFLECTION

Have you ever noticed how quiet it is in the early morning, that peaceful calm as the world still slumbers? It is as if there is some anticipation of the new day, yet there is no stress or anxiety, just an openness. Then of course there are those mornings we have woken to little or no sleep, driven by stress and anxiety, haunted by the visions of an undisciplined imagination. Morning is a time for meditation and reflection, it can serve as a marker for the day, setting up our focus, and helping us to set a course that will bring us to our desired destinations.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

August 11, 2010

THE MIND / BODY CONNECTION and PAIN

Emotional pain can intensify physical pain. The body has a powerful way of telling us that there is something it is struggling with. Pain is a great way to get us to look at the part of the body that needs attention. Emotional pain can do the same thing. However when you introduce unhealthy emotional pain with physical pain the combination can be destructive and overwhelming. It is important to educate ourselves of the difference between the two and how they express themselves in our lives. Controlling the unhealthy emotional pain can and will help to make physical pain more manageable.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

August 9, 2010

CREATING RELATIONSHIPS WITH KIDS

As parents we often forget that we have a small window of time to develop a relationship of trust with our kids. Trust for children is important in exploring the world around them. The feeling of safety helps in the development of healthy self concept and boundaries. Between the ages of 0 to 8/10 we are parents, from 8/10 on up we are nothing more than spectators, cheerleaders, coaches, mentors, etc. This is a critical time to be aware of our energy and the energy we use to teach and motivate. Children by nature rebel against fear and are repelled by it. However, they can be conditioned to respond to fear, using it as a way to define the boundaries and/or the lack of boundaries in their lives. Using fear based motivation with our Children can over time create a lack of trust, will eventually close the lines of communication and influence. We need to use the small window of time to create relationships with our kids.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

July 28, 2010

MAKE TIME TO PLAY

I find as I am getting older, I am slowing down. I use to think that this would never happen to me yet, time has different ideas. This morning I watched my two youngest play legos together. I sat mesmerized by their imaginations and the playful process they went through. I was impressed at how there was no fighting, no contention, just a flow of creative ideas and cooperation. Finally I asked, "What ya doing?" The answer, "Building." So true, building their minds, their relationship, eye hand coordination, problem solving and so much more, all from playing. Coming back from vacation a few weeks back I realized the need for more play in my life. Today I saw the benefits of play and the value it holds in the further development of who I can become. So, now slowing down is not so adverse to me, it's now about playing more.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

July 26, 2010

ALLOWING CHILDREN TO STRUGGLE WITH CONSEQUENCES

I have often been intrigued by how opposition creates balance. So many times, we heard about this concept of reverse psychology, when dealing with a stubborn child that is rebelling or being resistant. We may say the opposite of what we want in order to elicit the response that we want as a parent. We often have to go against what we think to be true. In order to gain what it is that we need the most from our children, often times letting go, and allowing our children to choose their path seems very frightening and out of control. More times than not, simply by giving them control they will choose the values that we have instilled within them. Even though our minds may be screaming to hang on as tight as we can, often times it's the letting go, which brings us the peace we seek in the relationship with our children. I am not referring to removing boundaries, rules or norms in the home, I am simply talking about allowing children to make their decisions and struggle with their consequences.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

July 19, 2010

CONTROLLING OUR THOUGHTS

The most influential battle one can fight is the battle to control ones thoughts. When we think of battling our thoughts we think of a struggle of overwhelming effort with the potential of loss. The battle of the mind is not won with force, in fact it is not one at all, it is simply influenced through training. The warrior may train for battle, he my even fight other warriors to improve his skills. It is training that enables him to control his mind and be prepared for any, and all struggles, even if he never sees the battle field. Training our mind to focus in areas that provide answers and understanding will bring peace and hope.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

July 16, 2010

WHAT LIMITS DO WE PUT ON OUR MIND?

The creativity of a child's mind is only limited by the perceived reality of the adult mind.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

July 14, 2010

SEEING OUR TRIALS AS APART OF THE JOURNEY

Learning to bend with adversity rather than fight is a powerful way to take control of our lives. This week my family and I drove through yellowstone national park, I was impressed by some of the trees we saw on the way in from the east gate, they were all leaning east as though the canyon winds had been blowing hard for some time. This particular day was very windy as we were faced with a very strong head wind driving west. We soon crossed over the pass and found our way to Yellowstone Lake where the wind was whipping the lake in to big swells with two foot breakers. As the water churned from a bluish green to a muddy brown eating away at the shore line with its drift wood scattered beach, I was taken back to the trees, both under the same influence yet each responding differently. One was a swaying dance allowing each tree to live in unison with adversity and by doing so becoming stronger in its roots. The other, a destructive corrosive act displacing much of the life that had once clung to its sandy home, churning and thrashing in a different dance, one of inflicting will and ambivalence to its destruction. Before I had left my hot desert home in St. George for the cooler plains of Wyoming, I was speaking to one of my clients about this very principal, the more we fight adversity the more we prolong the storms that teach. When we learn bend and sway with the winds of adversity, we learn of our strengths thus becoming powerful. Just as the trees accepted the wind by leaning east, we can see the trials as apart of our journey and change how we see what is happening.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

July 9, 2010

THE AVOIDENCE OF OUR OWN HUMANITY

I have often been intrigued with revenge. The feeling of control it provides those who dispense it. We have seen it used in film and literature as a justification for the taking of life or mistreatment of others. Gandhi dedicated his life to the understanding of this destructive power, his quote "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" is profound and layered with wisdom. I believe the blindness Gandhi spoke of is the avoidance of our own vulnerability, pain, sadness, and all areas we show humanity. The fear of vulnerability has driven humans to genocide and isolationism, it has become the cause of loss of hope, and the destruction of relationships. The denial of ones own humanity creates a lack of acceptance of others.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

July 5, 2010

BALANCE IN THE FAMILY

There is wisdom in the design of the family. It is wisdom that it takes a Mother and a Father to conceive a child, the metaphor is one of balance. Taking different genders and different styles of thinking, different beliefs and backgrounds, and then asking them to be one in purpose, this cannot be done without a level of surrender. Surrender is a key principal in creating balance. Nature is a great re-enforcer of this fact. Night to day, winter, summer, spring, and fall, each surrender to the other to create life. To truly become a family we must find balance with one another, not compromising who we are, but through unifying our purpose and the edification of all.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 28, 2010

FEAR IS A STICKY EMOTION

Have you ever noticed that fear is sticky? The harder you try to let it go the more it clings. It can start very subtle and then explode into an out of control fire in our mind and heart. I have found that fear is like a fire, it needs fuel, air and heat. The beliefs we cling to are the spark, what follows are thoughts that act as fuel, soon a breeze of emotion fans the flame that gives life to the undisciplined imagination, which provides the heat. The sticky fear comes from the beliefs we cling to, What are your beliefs?

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 23, 2010

CHILDREN WITH ADD

Recently I was asked about ADD in children and how to best deal with the issues associated with it. One of the most important things we can do is become aware of the energy we are carrying. Most children struggling with ADD are very sensitive to energy. Too often we shift into a fear based energy worrying about the child and those dealing with them, this becomes a platform for other fears and soon we feel lost and frustrated. Skills can replace the fear and knowledge can calm the heart, when these two needs are met the answers will follow.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 21, 2010

THE NEED FOR A HIGHER POWER

The worship of a higher power is essential in personal growth. The need to submit our will is a building block in finding acceptance and peace.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 16, 2010

SHIFTING OUR CORE BELIEFS


The process of eliminating unwanted thoughts begins with the shifting of core beliefs. Core beliefs such as; I am not appreciated or I am not good at my job, etc. These core thoughts become attachment points that allow like thoughts to enter into our minds and unsettling peace.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 14, 2010

A SAFE ENVIRONMENT

This past weekend we finished up a level 1 wakening seminar. I am always moved and impressed with how in a three day process strangers become family. The environment of safety and acceptance each participant brings allows others to be open and real. I truly enjoy seeing the relief in the eyes of those that were once troubled and lonely, even those who feel they have nothing to gain by the three days, walk away feeling the time was well spent and fruitful. I feel blessed and amazed at the privilege to be a part of something so powerful and healing.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 9, 2010

WHAT IS INTIMACY?

 Intimacy and sex are not the same. Sex is an expression. It is a way to communicate feelings and create bonds, to connect spirits to each other and bind lives. Sex is a creating force that allows two people to work with the divine in bringing forth the miracle of life, and in doing so become immortal. Intimacy is the body that sex is a part of, it is how we express feelings of safety, it allows others to see and be apart of us. This expression can be through conversation, eye contact, holding hands, sharing feelings, even through a sexual relation. The world we live in is confusing us with information directed at selling a better life, full of excitement and feelings of being wanted, all of which are misleading and diluting this important part of life. It is wisdom to teach our children the meaning of intimacy with all its many expressions as well as the purpose of sex, that they are not the same.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 7, 2010

HOW WILL OUR YOUTH CREATE A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP?

This last week I spent a few days camping with a youth group. It was a great experience to have young men and women away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, no cell phones, Xbox, facebook, texting, just kids being kids. Each kid was given assignments and all were involved in making the camp work. I could see the youth that have been enabled, and those with entitlement issues become more expressive and involved. Eyes that once drifted away or down, became happy and clear, words started to flow and soon the group had a feel of unity. There is a real need to help our youth feel connected to others, not just through the electronic world, but face to face interaction, the need to place responsibility on the shoulders of this generation, to create a sense of ownership in the world, a belief that they have a place in it, and understand how to contribute. Our youth are the most important product we can invest in, the long term pay off is immeasurable and the need is obvious. It can be as simple as camping or playing with them, adding responsibility to the daily diet of an electronic world.



Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

June 2, 2010

WHY DO WE NEED SPIRITUALITY


Spirituality is the centerpiece of humanity. As humans we have always had a relationship with spirituality, it is a stabilizing force. We have always had a desire to understand who we are, to find meaning in the ugliness, hope in the beauty, and fulfillment in our lives. Spirituality gives us the ability to transcend the mortal to a higher mortality, understanding that there can be more to this life than we are willing to see. From the cave drawings of ancient times to modern wikipedia references, google searches, the need is the same, a search for truth. All that can be provided by our spirituality.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 28, 2010

FOCUS ON HOW YOU FEEL

As May draws to an end and we find ourselves at the half way point of 2010 now is a good time to check in on how the year is going. Thinking of the remainder of this year, we can spend a large amount of time focusing on what we want to accomplish and what we have already done or not done. We tend to be very task oriented and can become disillusioned and overwhelmed. I would like to challenge you to shift from task oriented to feeling oriented for the next six months, in other words focus on how you want the next six months to feel. We tend to lean on tasks to show us success, try feelings, what are the feelings you most want in your daily, weekly, and monthly life? Focus on the feelings you want for six months and let me know your successful results of which I am confident you will have plenty. If need help, suggestions or clarification let me know.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 25, 2010

GRATITUDE CAN GIVE US DIRECTION

In the past, I have written about gratitude. It's a powerful expression, it helps the heart and mind focus on what is important. As the warm days of summer come and we see more of the outdoors, we can observe more of what this world has to offer. It's the simple form of observation that can slow us down long enough to see the true value of what we have. Gratitude can give our days direction and meaning. When we set out to see all we are grateful for, we gain a sense of well being. It also challenges the mind to control our thoughts, to overlook those things we would become fixated on as important. Gratitude is a peaceful emotion, it plants seeds that can grow into a powerful opportunity.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 24, 2010

MARRIAGE - FRIEND OR FOE?

Recently I was asked how to keep a marriage free from trials and conflict, my response was, "it is impossible." We can however learn to strengthen marriage to a point that it will survive the trials and conflict. We have been fooled into thinking that marriage is an arrival point, we have been taught to define ourselves by marriage and loose ourselves to it. We look down on ourselves if we struggle and become impatient with our partner, we look outward for reference and direction. We fear the looks of others hoping they don't see the issues. We have forgotten that marriage is a process that needs to grow and mature. If we learn to look at marriage as a child, we can see the process clearly; first, life is new and fragile, it is learning to walk with someone, and speak a new language, it will soon learn to feed itself and take on its own personality, patterns are developing that will shape everything about it and how it sees the world. Later, it becomes challenged, it strains under the pressure of peers and the comparisons to other marriages. The distraction of careers and children enters leaving no time to enjoy or repair the relationship, resulting in resentments and dissatisfaction and wishing, this form of grief and self loathing leads to anger and soon wanting change. After the distractions are gone, introspection begins and the true work is done. If there has been a healthy respect for the process and gratitude for the opportunity, with realistic views, the best part begins, acceptance. How powerful would it be if we could start marriage with acceptance? To know that marriage is a process and requires and huge amount of humility and humanity, to start with no expectations, just the ability to adapt and grow. This is the answer to the question, How do I strengthen my marriage to withstand the trials rather than avoid them?


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 19, 2010

TAKING THE STANCE OF THE VICTIM

Taking the stance of the victim is easy and enticing, but it holds no accountability and provides justification for a lack of moving forward. For years I have watched fear of being wrong conquer the need for accountability, producing repercussions that range from minimal to extreme. It is always easier to blame circumstances and others for the issues or predicament we find ourselves in, minimizing our role as to not feel wrong. If we look at the fear of being wrong, we will see the power it holds and how it is the root of the behavior. Years ago when dealing with a young woman in treatment I became profoundly aware of how the victim stance can devastate not only the person, but those who love and care for her as well. It started with a lie to cover what she felt justified doing. She had wanted to have freedom and not feel under the thumb of her parents, she wanted to live life the way she wanted, not "the way her parents believed." Soon her guilt grew and the knowledge of her rebellion was revealed. In an attempt to justify her actions she began to blame her parents, then as she felt her rationale crumbling, she spun a web of lies. Later, it all came out and the truth flowed. I could see the relief in her eyes and hear the sadness in her heart as she realized the gravity of her misdeeds. I wish I could say all turned out well for her and she had simply confessed the lies, but the wreckage was deep and extensive. Time will help her and her family overcome a devastating event, all created by the fear of being wrong. It is to our advantage to not get caught up in the victim stance and especially not to model it to our children.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 16, 2010

FINDING PEACE THROUGH MEDITATION


Meditation doesn't have to be complicated. The more we learn to connect the mind and body through meditation, the more helpful the answers. It is important to know that meditation doesn't have to be formal, we can get caught up in poses and positions, while these are helpful ways, they are not the only way to connect to our discernment. Sometimes simple is better and all that is required is sitting still and listening to the sound of your breath, the rhythm your heart, or the sound of the birds. The peace that is found in meditation is profound, and the answers that can be obtained are powerful. All it takes is ten to twenty minutes a day, so start now.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 11, 2010

CHOOSING YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS

Often we become frustrated and overwhelmed when looking for the ability to let things go. Our purpose is to relieve the discomfort and end the pain. This can lead to obsessive thoughts and impulsive behaviors. We spend time using methods of blocking or distraction to resolve the issue only to find our persistent thoughts and feelings prevailing. In past posts I have written about the power of refocusing as well as anchoring to help in the constant struggle. Next we need to work on the more overlooked tool of controlling the thoughts we entertain. Our thoughts are like our friends, we choose those who most represent how we feel about ourselves. When we spend time with unhealthy friends it is easy to fall into unhealthy behaviors, the same is true of the thoughts we spend time with. It is easy to blame or circumstances or the people in our lives for the stress and aggravation, yet it always comes down to our choices and what we allow ourselves to think and feel. We choose who we entertain in our homes, now we must choose what we entertain in and out of our thoughts.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 6, 2010

PEACE, JUST PEACE

The deep swelling darkness of loss, that pain that illuminates the obvious, it denies cries for relief.

Wanting my eyes to shut, so as not to witness the visions of the mind, no safe harbor from imagination, only taunting answers sent to retrieve.

Peace is a sweetness craved, gold and diamond, countless quests have been launched yet never returned, swallowed up in a sea of questions.

Lay still my mind, lay still, soft breeze will fill me, no sound of wanting or need, just defining quiet that stops my minds ear.

Peace, just peace.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

May 3, 2010

HELPING YOUR CHILD THROUGH REBELLION


When asked, How can I change the course of a child that's heading on a self-destructive path, my response is, "Kids can't compass off the clouds." Our first instinct when a child rebels is to adjust what we are doing to lure them back or we metaphorically chase the child. We try heavy consequences or we make concessions, even enabling to bring them back to our way of thinking or behaving. This is due to how we personalize the rebellion rather than understanding it, rebellion is a time when we have the most influence based on how we respond to the rebellion. We can change our response to a healthier one, that will change the patterns and opens the door to communication.
Our response is critical, yet can be clear with help. If you need more info and help on this, Please contact me.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 27, 2010

HOW DO WE LIVE?


Living is not just going through the motions, on autopilot, and waking up finding that the days have slipped away. Living is slowing the pace and feeling each breath. We often speed through the day not realizing the cost. We slowly give away moments and fill our days with activities, then finally collapse with fatigue and frustration. The life we want is within our control, it is a choice, we can choose to slow the pace and relieve the pressure. Yet we feel we don't have control due to the outside pressures, relationships, obligations and commitments. This over connection is a burden and can cause resentment and pain. There is a balance that can be attained by anchoring to our core values and understanding the purpose of the roles we play. Our life is a gift, not only to ourselves, but to others. The amount of influence we have is based upon the relationship we have with ourselves. Living and breathing is the only thing we are required to do to experience this life.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 25, 2010

EXPRESSING OUR FEELINGS

Freedom to express our feeling is a continual need and is an important part of growth. Our ability to express what we feel is a building block of any relationship. If this need is abandoned or neglected, we cut off a key part of moving forward. Most fear the repercussions or loss of people if feelings are openly shared, others are "brutally honest" and offend the listener, both are fear based and cause a lack of communication. There is a balance that can be achieved and is necessary in learning to be expressive. It is relevant and timely to learn the skills now to promote growth.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 23, 2010

SEEING THE TRUTH


Our emotional state affects how we perceive the world around us. We have the ability to feel how we want, therefore we can choose the way we see the world by controlling our emotions. The vision of our daily lives is like looking through a water bottle, no mater how we move the bottle it produces a different and distorted views. We never truly see fully or clearly what we are looking at, we my catch a glimpse of reality, but there will always be distortion. What is affecting our view and is controlling what we see is the ever present emotional state of our being, this state is driven by discipline or lack of disciplined of our thoughts. We have the ability to think, ponder, reason, and debate. We problem solve, internalize, visualize, and even dream, all with out much effort. How we discipline these process will impact how we feel and lead to our interpretation of our world. Seeing the truth is a challenge, but it is within our ability and reach. It just takes effort and discipline.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 20, 2010

SAVOR THE DAY


At the end of the day we have a chance to unwind and contemplate, this is an important time to prepare for the next. The attitude we end up with at the end of the day, can affect the one will awaken with. This simple shift has big ramifications on the direction of our thoughts and opportunities. It is important to say that this reflection needs to be tempered with optimism and forgiveness of our humanity. With that said, there are several methods we can use; prayer, meditation, journal, and chatting with a loved one to de-compress. Whatever method we choose the result will be beneficial and time well spent.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 17, 2010

FINDING THE STATE OF REST


The body and mind must find a state of rest. We live in a fast paced time, full of meetings and schedules, deadlines and dates. We find ourselves running frustrated and fatigued. This fast pace doesn't allow us to integrate the day and the lessons we have learned. We put off the self nurturing we are in dire need of, finding ourselves speeding through life. Time is one of our constant allies, never leaving our side. It is the one thing we often misuse and is mismanaged. Time can give us the organization and structure to rest, meditate, nap, walk, sleep, or to just lay on our back looking at the clouds. This is when answers will find us and relieve us from the frustrations of the day and the not knowing. Find time to rest and recoup, make it a priority in self nurturing and enlightenment.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 16, 2010

LOVE HAS NO BOUNDARIES

Love has no boundaries, but we need them. It has been said "love has no boundaries," this can be a problematic, even though love is infinite and forgiving, humans are not. When we have unhealthy or poor boundaries the opportunity to create Pain and hurt or be taken advantage of is great. Love is a powerful expression, it can bring peace to a unstable heart, it can provide hope to a solitary life, bind two lives into one. Love is often confused with similar emotions, emotions that can feel just as powerful as love yet be very destructive. Emotions such as desperation, fear of abandonment, rejection, dependency with an unhealthy partner, enabling, just to name a few. Most of these start out as love then through the years become warped due to a lack of boundaries. Later we begin to recognize these feelings as love and pass them on to other relationships. Through example and modeling, even though it is unintentional, we teach these emotions to our loved ones and children, giving them the same understanding and confusion. It is imperative that we learn how to have powerful boundaries and allow love to become as powerful as it can be, not masked by unhealthy emotions disguised as love. It is through boundaries that love is disciplined and appropriate, fulfilling its purpose, and bind truth to truth.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 13, 2010

FINDING OUR TRUTH

Each of us has been given an inherent ability to obtain knowledge. The lack of confidence we have in our own ability to learn and know the truth with in us is a common problem. We place our trust in others and turn every way but to ourselves to find answers, answers that we have the ability to find or discern. This disconnect creates a dependency on the world and a lack of trust in the divine, it is one of the great lies and is the cause of much heartache. It is the responsibility and opportunity for all humanity to connect to the truth through discernment and find our answers.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 11, 2010

KEEPING OURSELVES MOVING FORWARD


As we learn, grow and overcome, we feel a shift and change that is so powerful that we make note of it. Through it, we gain a strong resolve or marker of our growth. Later we feel as though we have lost the feeling or forgotten and regressed. We can never truly regress, if we are still acting on what we learned and are moving forward, the markers remain. So what has changed? Our perspective. For example, In the morning, when you put your shoes and socks on, and by midday you don't feel them anymore. This does not mean you have lost them, just that you have become accustomed to the feeling. As we keep ourselves moving on the path of discovery we will have epiphanies and feelings of euphoria, but these feelings will give way to knowing and may not carry the same initial emotions yet they are still powerful and relevant.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 9, 2010

PAIN CAN BE OUR TEACHER


Wounds can take a long time to heal. We can and often do get hurt leaving wounds that do not fully heal, these wounds can scare us and become sensitive to anything that may appear as a threat. Pain is a teacher and is a continual companion on our journey in this life, we however, create pain that is not intended to be part of the journey. It is important that we learn to how discern the difference and eliminate unnecessary pain while embracing healthy pain. When we embrace pain that is healthy we progress. However, when avoid all pain we retard our growth process.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 6, 2010

TAKE RISKS TO LIBERATE OURSELVES


As a timid bird with its new wings is determined to take flight and chirps for reassurance, A young child looks back as they walk into the first day in a new school, unsure of the days ahead. We each take steps towards uncertainty daily, wondering if the choices we are making are the "Right Choices." Doubt fill our heads with clouds of fear and questions, leaving us struggling, sometimes even immobilized. The true nature of man is to explore and take risks, pushing deeper into the unknown, revealing truth and knowledge. The perceived limits we face each day come from the conditioning we receive to define our world, yet each day we push into undiscovered areas to reveal answers, and even more questions. Each of us can challenge what we fear to challenge, by doing so, we can liberate ourselves and others from the fear of the unknown. Each step we take into our unknown moves humanity towards an enlightenment that we can only dream of, Inner Peace.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 5, 2010

HEALTHY INTIMACY

 Intimacy requires a feeling of safety. Often we wait for others to provide feelings we are responsible to create. Healthy intimacy is an expression of self-confidence. When we are secure with the world around us we allow others to know us. The heart of man is pure and can at times express great things, yet the heart of the world can be corrupt and is subject to fear. When healthy expression and respect are present, it will be met with healthy intimacy.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

April 2, 2010

ALL LIES WILL EXPIRE


All lies have a shelf life, some expiration dates may come long after you have expired, but be assured all lies will expire. What determines the life of a lie is the value it carries, some lies carry and inspire fear that become a remedy for ambivalence. Still some create a dependency or need, they can create feelings of desperation which in turn will cause impulsive behaviors. Most lies breed fear, loathing, dividing, and separating us from faith and love. They can limit how we see the world. Lies can and often do take on a life of their own, needing no assistance for humans to exist. It is important to anchor to truth, it is the only way to separate ourselves form the lies.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

LIFE IS A CHOICE


The length of the human life is meant to give us the opportunity to learn, not only from ourselves but from the lives of others. Each life is a representation and expression of generations of choices. Our lives are affected by the choices of the lives of others, we are a direct result of those choices. Every generation has progressed and will continue to progress based upon choices and results of choices. Some of those choices will be unhealthy, others will inspire and empower generations to come. The choice is literally ours!

 
Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 31, 2010

TOUCH IS ESSENTIAL In HUMAN COMMUNICATION

The expressive action of touch is essential in human communication. It becomes a powerful tool when used appropriately. Touch can fill the void that words can not. The gentle touch of a mothers hand will sooth the fears of a child, the warm embrace of a husband can console the wounds of his loving wife.
Yet touch can be destructive and harmful as well, when abused for selfish agendas. The best way to determine healthy touch is to understand the intention behind the touch. Touch is a binding force when used appropriately.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 25, 2010

FEELINGS ARE A POWERFUL SOURCE

At times we can feel very lost and hopeless, these feelings can translate into actions that create pain and hurt. Often when asked "How do I combat these depressing feelings?" I respond with, "Seeing the bigger picture." It is difficult to stay anchored when we have lost our vision of what we are moving towards. I remember as a young boy my Grandpa Noall telling me how to put a straight furrow in a field when planting Potatoes. As we passed a newly furrowed field one day, my grandfather asked "Do you know how they keep the lines so straight?" I responded, "No" and he then explained that the first line is the most important "It will determine where the rest of the lines will go." As he went on he told me how he would pick a fence post across the field, and without taking his eyes off of it he would slowly make his way towards his destination. It is as important to us to find a point of reference to move toward and keep us on a path of peace as it is for a farmer planting his future crops. Our future has been fixed on moments and we say "When" as a point of reference. But these things move and are dependent on trends, other people, and their humanity. They become fragile and brittle with no give or to much, leaving us frustrated and disillusioned. We can find a more permanent point of reference, one that takes discipline and focus. It is simply deciding, How do I want to feel? "How" instead of "When." Feelings are a powerful source. We can choose how the future will feel by picking the feeling we want now, then keep it in front of us. All we have to do is pick a post.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 23, 2010

THE POWER OF SELF-CONTROL


To truly be the master of our own lives we must first learn to master ourselves. The power of Self-control as an ally in the quest for peace and is essential for understanding truth. It provides discipline and limits the self-destructive thoughts and behaviors. It is easier to surrender to the bondage of blame, not only blaming others but our situations through which we find justification for a lack of self-control. Self-mastery is first, the control of thought, second the disciplining of emotions, and finally choosing how we act. To many times through the years I have sat a listened to lost and hurting souls express how a lack of self-mastery has cost them dearly, I as well have felt that pain. The power of self-control is what sets us apart from being lost and subject to the worlds definition of which we will never measure up, and the true freedom of accountability.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 19, 2010

OUR THOUGHTS

A simple thought is like the rising sun, it illuminates
The day and gives it sight. There are times that the days are cloudy and the overcast sky limits the view, we become depressed and sad without realizing what is happening. Our attitude for the future becomes dark and hope is lost, we react to those around us in kind, snapping and responding in anger. The need to control the way we think starts by setting boundaries with in ourselves, we choose the way we think and how we see the world. We program our minds each day by how we discipline our imagination, this is where we allow thoughts to linger, giving into obsessive patterns. The day can start with thoughts that bring peace or storm clouds, we can choose.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 12, 2010

WHAT YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN NEED MOST TODAY


I was recently asked by the leader of a youth group what I thought young men and women needed the most in these days. My response was "Hope." Hope is vision, it gives us direction the ability to see beyond the trials and pain that overwhelms us. We need hope as humans and it can be a very effective tool in lifting the depressed and motivating the immobilized. It is common for young people to lose hope, in fact it is easy to do. Our world has become extremely fear based and blame when it comes to motivation, thinking we are helping to define or assign who did or didn't do something of worth. When in reality we are limiting the vision of our youth, who are looking for roles that will give them value without being wrong. Hope is dashed by the judgmental world we choose to live in, and desire to insert our views and opinions. When a parent criticizes a spouse or a child's friend, hope is lost, a role is defined and limits are placed. Hope is a gift and necessity for a healthy child to grow.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 11, 2010

AWARENESS Is the TURE FEAST in PERSONAL GROWTH

 I was pondering Awareness this morning and was taken back to a memory of when I was a younger man. I was on a two year "vacation" when I met a man who had diabetes, he was in a wheelchair at this point in his life and had lost the ability to walk. As we visited he told us stories both amazing and sad, some were whimsical to others, down right rough, then he shared a story that struck me as profound. As the diabetes slowly set in as it will, he began to have pain in his feet and soon lost the feeling. While he was telling this story he bent down and began to remove his shoe and then his sock reveling his toe less foot. He explained how not having an awareness of sensations in his feet had cost him his toes. I have held onto that memory for obvious reasons and have learned so much from it, the lessons have been both profound and simple. Now I see the lesson through the eyes of many who have become numb, unaware of the pain they are in as well as to the pain they cause. Awareness is a foundation principal, in order for us to move forward we must become aware of where we are lacking, how we want things to be different, and belief that we have the ability to become who we are striving to be. Awareness is the true feast in personal growth and will fill the soul with hope and vision.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 10, 2010

KINDNESS

The act of kindness is an out stretched hand to a fallen soul. Kindness is one of the most powerful actions we can take each day and it is free and most often returned in kind.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 9, 2010

TWO SUBTLE TRAIGHTS Of SUCCESS


As I was out raking my lawn today when I found myself in a zen state (like when I am vacuuming) and I started to ponder how the healthy grass withstood the rugged abuse of the rake. I began to see the dead and loose grass become swept away by the constant attack, finally a pile began accumulating at the end of each stroke and was then dumped in the trash. I was reminded of the principal of deep roots set in good soil. Then I saw another lesson present its self. Resiliency and Tenacity, two subtle traits of success, not foundation pieces as much as an attitude and mind set. The constant pull of the rake is a formidable convincing drive that says "let go" or "give up" and be swept aside with so many, firm roots and all. Adversity has claimed many well grounded educated and spiritual people, the constant pull and aggressive quality of adversity has taken many of our loved ones to dark places. It's not always the roots and soil that keep the drive alive, it requires more than just the "right tools." It's the ability to hang on and use the tools that make the difference. It is tenacity that gives a mother with breast cancer the ability to see her children raise children, and father who has lost his job the ability to invent a product that becomes a household name. It is resiliency that helps rebuild a community after it is rocked by a flood or earthquake, a child scared by a tragic event, or disability to repair his/her life and then help others to see their world differently. Not always spoken of but still powerful, these simple and most often quiet traits are the difference makers that tip the scales in favor of those who use them.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 8, 2010

The LIBERATING ENERGY Of FORGIVENESS

The way we see ourselves can be limited by our inability to forgive and/or receive forgiveness. Our world is made up by reference points and this is how we determine where we are and where we're going. These cues are everywhere and are helpful unless the points are affected by a lack of vision. Our vision is often blocked by hurt and anger. It causes us to miss healthy cues and fixate on our past as well as the fear of the future. The temptation is to react and claim our apology or avoid as to not have to feel the guilt. We shift to blame as a way to justify the fixation or to deflect the opinions of others, all of which causes us to focus on the offense and thus loose sight of truth. The liberating energy of forgiveness moves us from a state of victim to the freedom of accountability.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 7, 2010

TO INSPIRE OTHERS

 Lifting someone else up and supporting them in a tough time is a gift we can give. When we have the ability to lift and inspire others we become champions for truth. The inspiring force is a life spring of motivation and it helps us move forward. At times we loose our vision and can no longer see the way or feel a sense of well being, it is at these times that a lift or words of encouragement are potent and powerful. When we can see beyond our own interests and truly want the best for others, we can be the boost that can change the momentum of a stuck struggling loved one.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 6, 2010

The SAFETY Of BOUNDARIES

Our safety is our responsibility, we have the ability to set boundaries and to enforce them to keep ourselves and others safe. Relationships are a major part of humanity, we are built to be social and to find fulfillment through interaction with others. These relationships help us to create a sense of well being and purpose, bringing value to living. We often find ourselves hurt in relationships or causing hurt and are left feeling confused as to how to respond or react to the hurt. When we understand the relationship and the roles we play in them as well as the purpose of the relationship we then can put in place boundaries and enforce them. In order to have powerful long lasting relationships we must begin to apply boundaries.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 4, 2010

FORGIVENESS CREATES FREEDOM


The way we see ourselves can be limited by our inability to forgive and/or receive forgiveness. Our world is made up by reference points and this is how we determine where we are and where we're going. These cues are everywhere and are helpful unless the points are affected by a lack of vision. Our vision is often blocked by hurt and anger. It causes us to miss healthy cues and fixate on our past as well as the fear of the future. The temptation is to react and claim our apology or avoid as to not have to feel the guilt. We shift to blame as a way to justify the fixation or to deflect the opinions of others, all of which causes us to focus on the offense and thus loose sight of truth. The liberating energy of forgiveness moves us from a state of victim to the freedom of accountability.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

March 1, 2010

COMMITTED TO THE PATH

When drawn to a path we must then become committed to walking it. Discouragement is a product of fear. It is a partner to doubt. Both are present when there is a premature quitting of anything worthwhile. Commitment to something requires that we have an understanding of why we are doing what we are doing. If we do not truly value the task, activity, person etc., we will surely abandon the path. The committed soul gives meaning to all things. We have an understanding of the value and importance of who we are and what we do. The path to peace is walked with committed feet not detoured by the thoughts of fear or guilt, but rather walk to a constant pace. Knowledge gained through introspection, meditation, and trials firm up the self acceptance, giving the follower confidence to keep walking.
 

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

February 27, 2010

LIFE LOST SLEEPING


Dawning days of dreaming lost in the sleep of time, this dance we call living tempt us to forgetting. Open eyes of mine to see the windows edge, tap the winters glass. Frost has not dimmed the view, just the sleeping eyes of time. Slumber is a sweet mistress to the life not lived, open arms embracing, empty moments not spent. Shaking off the dusty frosting that falls on motionless limbs, there is no need for movement in a captors snare. Wake oh just wake my eyes, see the missing mist, it fills to make complete the life lost sleeping, and paint the path not dreaming.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

February 26, 2010

PLANTING THE SEEDS


We just plant the seeds. Can a gardner truly take credit for the beauty of the flowers he planted? Can he truly claim he created the thorns and weeds? The lives we bring into this world spring forth into their own, claiming the beauty and hurt for themselves. We can only plant seeds, with tender care, and nurturing. Watch them take the life they have and create what is in their hearts. Each of us express everyday what it is we hold in our hearts, sometimes it is pain, we paint the hurt, other times it is love, and we beam it as a beacon to others. We can only enjoy the garden, walk carefully thru it, and lovingly tend it. Truly it is not ours to claim or take credit for. We just plant the seeds.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

OUR UnHAPPINESS IS A RESULT OF...

There are times we feel unsettled and not at peace, we may even feel overwhelmed. When we find ourselves in this place there are three questions we can ask to realign ourselves. The first is, Am I in control of my thoughts? Our thoughts drive our emotions and in turn affect the way we respond to daily life. Much of our discord and unhappiness is a result of our inappropriate response to life's challenges. The second is, Am I safe? Often we feel threatened physically and or emotionally, whether it be real or imagined this threat will affect us. Our ability to respond is important, it is our own responsibly to keep ourselves safe. Third is, How can I change how I feel? We have the ability to act and change how we feel. We are the stewards of our emotions, they require a diligent effort to be maintained. If we can settle our minds and anchor to truth we will find peace.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

February 23, 2010

EMOTIONAL SEEDS


The mind of a child is a freshly furrowed field, the emotional seeds that are planted often reflect their parents. We as parents can influence our children emotionally by how we are responding to the trials we face daily. Just as a fresh field is susceptible to seeds that may blow in and sprout weeds, how we respond and interact with the world around us creates emotional seeds that can impact the developing mind and heart. We must choose our response and emotions to daily issues with our children or others to be conducive to a healthy child's life.


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

February 22, 2010

IT IS EASIER TO BLAME


Blame can be addictive. It is easier to place blame to change how we feel than to take accountability.

Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center

WHAT IS BEAUTY TO YOU?

Beauty has become a majority rules concept.

There is a complacency when it comes to beauty, almost an exchange, our truth for the value of the world when it comes to beauty. As I meet with people there is a sense of despair about how they feel about their beauty and if they have any value to the world at all. As I ask them to tell me what beauty is, they express that it is what they see in magazines or on tv or in movies. I ask this, Is this how they feel? The answer is "I don't know." Why I ask? "Well its what is expected of me from everyone else." Slowly the conversation turns to what they find of beauty. After peeling back all the expectations and definitions of the world it becomes a simple answer, "The setting sun or the eyes of a new born." We are challenged by living in a society, to not get lost in the mass and confusion of the majority. This is where discord and unhappiness are born, it begins as a subtle comparison to define ourselves. Beauty is best left to our own interpreting. What is beauty to you?


Dean N Nixon
Seminar Director, Life Coach

TurningLeaf Wellness Center