Another Medical Miracle

Have you ever wondered how the heck you would ever be able to get out of debt? I have.

Recently, as many of you know, I had a brain tumor removed. I was without health insurance or much money to speak of. I was committed, and still am, to keeping the energy and attitude of appreciation and play during my surgery and recovery. This past weekend I received notice that I was denied Medicaid. This meant that I would not have any financial assistance to pay the large and somewhat laughable dollar amount for my medical bills. I had my moments of fear and sadness and anger and allowed myself the quick pleasure of playing the victim for a few minutes. As I did a quick exaggeration of my sadness, and a short little fear dance, the energy of being a victim began to move out of my body and what came next was an openness to experience something different. I chose to shift into a place of wonder and appreciation. I asked, "Hmmmm, I wonder how I can create that dollar amount to honor my medical debt and be integrous." I also reminded myself that if I was brilliant enough to attract the $35,000 debt, I am surely brilliant enough to manifest a way to cover that amount. It is, after all, just a number, energy, an exchange of service. And then I let go of my trying to solve the problem and breathed and went to a movie.

Today I took action to see if I couldn't find a way to get some assistance. I talked to my Medicaid caseworker and there wasn't any help there. I didn't panic and I didn't stand as a victim. "This was a temporary situation," I reminded myself. "I have a choice in this. This is totally doable." I had the power to have whatever perception I wanted surrounding this even though I didn't know how I would generate the money/energy. After I hung up from my caseworker, I went to the hospital's financial business offices. I had a brief conversation with one of the employees and after only 5 minutes she discovered that all but one of my bills had been written off by the hospital. Meaning, that there was only the one bill left for me to pay! And it seems that one bill will probably be covered too. It was for over $18,000 and because of the size of it, required some attention from the managerial end of the department to make any decision....which would take a bit longer.

On my way out to my truck I couldn't help but laugh a little. This option was always available. When I was ready to perceive it, see it, receive it, it became my reality. This is true for us always. Whatever we are perceiving is our reality. If I didn't see any possibility, there wouldn't have been one. Make sense?

I tell you this story to illustrate that the universe is conspiring with us at all times whether we are conscious of it or not. The universe is always giving us what we put out. If I had stayed in the victim position and had not seen any possibility, that's what I would have co-created with the universe. Because I was willing and recognized there was a different option, I chose to co-create consciously with the universe.

How can you authentically shift your perception from your present situation? What does it mean to you to shift your perception authentically?

Juicy questions. I'm anxious to hear from you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Play & Openness

Have you been feeling panicked, stressed, constricted when you think about money or time? I have. I have a tendency to get ahead of myself. To jump out into 3 weeks from now and try to figure out how I'll ever have enough money, or how I'll possibly get everything done. I twist myself up by moving fast to try to "catch up" to everything I have on my long list of To Do's. It's a crazy worry place that I can find myself in when I go unconscious and get out of being present.

Last week I was feeling so tight in my chest and when I would check into my breathing, I noticed that I would be sustaining myself with these shallow little puffs of air that not only kept me in a state of survival but also kept me moving fast. When I finally realized that I was creating a lot of havoc and that I was the only one who could change it, I took a few deep breaths and scheduled a play date right away. Yes, a play date! I have learned that for me, PLAY is a reliable and fun way for me to get out of drama and stress and to get my body and mind into open space. When I play, I breathe more easefully and deeper, I laugh more and move my body more. I'm actually so grounded in my body that my mind quiets and I'm able to enjoy what's happening in any given play moment. And then I get to slow down and time seems to expand.

I think as grown ups we can tend to get caught up in "grown up" life which has to look a certain way -- much of the time stressful. But ask yourself, "Am I having fun?" Are you breathing and expanding into a natural state of openness and expansiveness? If not, maybe you've created a perfect opportunity to consider a few minutes of play -- whatever that looks like to you. Perhaps the place to start is just to wonder how you might play more as a grown up and increase your fun time.

I have given myself permission to explore my creativity through shameless, childlike play and it is a reliable way for me to get back into a joyful and loving space of giving, receiving and cycling love in all its forms....and that includes money.

This week at The Appreciation Circle we will be playing more with learning how we can move our bodies and minds into authentic appreciation.

See you on Thursday @ 7:30pm! Have a great week!

Money Leaks to Money Moves

Do you ever feel like you can't get on top of your finances? Or that no matter how hard you work, money seems to be like someone else's property? Have you ever felt like despite your current income, you're always paying out more than there is coming in? I have.

Recently, I found myself starting to ask the bigger questions of my money problems, I've been wondering, "what is it going to take for me to enjoy total financial success?" Like any good financial adviser will tell you, the first step is to see where you're currently losing money or in other words:

Where are your integrity leaks, financially?

What are the areas in which you have huge amounts of stress and worry surrounding money? What old debt or bills have you seemingly "forgot" about? Furthermore, what is it about money that you have not taken 100% responsibility for?

As I have been asking myself these questions, I've come up with some very creative answers. First, there's the array of stories that I'm at the affect of the economic crisis and that there just isn't help for a guy like me – that no matter how hard I try, money seems to slip between my fingertips.

However, going deeper, there is more at risk in my current financial situation than my credit rating, my integrity and my own willingness to take 100% responsibility for creating my life the way it is today.

Despite the details, right now, I'm committed to being broke, in debt up to my ears and feeling all sorts of frustration and overwhelm regrading my current financial crisis. How so? I'm simply being honest about my results. And in facing into my debt, directly, my integrity leaks and all the ways in which I worry about money, I give myself a chance to accept my life the way it is today and be at choice if I want to continue on the path or make another choice.

Today, I'm making another choice!

Join life coach and teacher Mary Tebbs and myself tonight or in the upcoming weeks in The Appreciation Circle to produce better results and change your relationship with money for good.

I appreciate you for taking the time to read this post, there's a reason why you did.

Nick James

--

Money Problems = Get a better Problem

I'm excited for the launching of the revamp of The Appreciation Circle. Committed to revolutionizing, on a global level, our relationship with money and abundance, this weekly group is about to change the way we do money for good by creating wealth, from the inside out.

I invite each of you to this group, not only to support us in actualizing our dream of creating more rich communities (both in love and money) but for yourself to create a life of wealth and happiness.

I believe at this point, we owe it to ourselves to be an example for the rest of the world, money does grow on trees and in our hearts, we simple need to open up to receiving it and get out of the way what's keeping us from our natural birth right: a life of complete and total success.

My invitation: get a better problem, stop making money the issue. In fact, money is a phony issue, for when you take a look at all the ways in which you resist the flow of feeling good in your life, you can be pretty sure it's related to the flow of easeful income you have flowing in. Today, make your focus about appreciating all that you judge to be good and all that you judge to be bad – be willing to get a better problem, join us in two weeks for the launch of The Appreciation Circle.

Nick James

Where My Money At?

I'm excited to report that we are ready to re-start The Appreciation Circle again. As Nick and I have talked about the container and direction of The Circle, we have taken the feedback from the country as a whole and the collapse of the banking system and have chosen to play more directly with our relationships with money. How this translates in real life to The Circle is we will bring to the table teachings and questions surrounding a combination of universal laws, commitments and counter-commitments, exploring and uncovering our own truths and belief systems, and patterns and personas around money. And we will be doing all of this int the spirit of fun, love and appreciation.

I feel very excited to be back in The Circle and even more excited about the clear focus of choosing to play with money. I know I want more love and appreciation in my relationship with the mighty dollar!

So if you want more money, more love, more appreciation in your life, come play on Thursdays, starting October 23rd with me and co-facilitator Nick James and let's see how much fun and aliveness we can inflect into our money relationships!

Until then here's a toss....notice what happens for you when you go to pay for anything in your life....a movie, dinner, gas, your power bill, rent, new shoes....what comes up for you? Just notice.

See you soon!

Mary

Recuperation

This is my first time back here in quite some time. Somebody might have noticed the absence of blogs, words, appreciations here. Somebody. Maybe it was me. Yes. It was. As many of you may have heard, I was diagnosed with a pituitary brain tumor in mid July. All is well and I am recovering day by day, more and more, bigger and better. The absence has been due to the recovery and recuperation of my small and cute health issue.

I have learned a lot over the past couple of months while healing, feeling and dealing with what's come up for me during that time. Much of it has to do with appreciation. It seems even more appropo that I have chosen to create a group that is founded in appreciation. So perfect!

I am getting back in the game of life play and part of that looks like re-creating and re-scheduling weekly Appreciation Circles. Tentatively, they will resume the first Thursday in October. I will be sure to update exact time and place when we (me and Nick James....so exctied to play with Nick!) get all of the logistics settled. We are currently wondering about an indoor space to hold the Circle. If anyone has ideas, please send them my way via www.theappreciationcircle.com or mtebbs@comcast.net.

Thanks and more thanks.
Mary

24th Celebration, Start with Appreciation.

This weekend marks the celebration of Utah's independence, on July 24th.

But what about your independence?

Have you ever asked yourself, "what will it take for me to feel more free and alive?" or "what will it take for me to really get enjoying the life I've always dreamed of?"

Great questions to be asking and there are many versions of it, but it really comes down to this: Are you willing to live your life in a state of joy and appreciation? Are you willing to make a conscious commitment to being alive and celebrating your life in a state of appreciation? If so, good for you. If not, what's stopping you? What do you have to lose?

For more about the power of appreciation and it's everyday bonus surprises, join us this week for another gathering of The Appreciation Circle and the return of Mary Tebbs! Life is Good!

Painful Appreciation?

What the....??? I've been in resistance today about shifting my pain fascination. When I use the word fascination it's to say that my unconscious is totally mezmerized by pain. How do I know this? Because I experience physical pain everyday to varying degrees. I'm scared to out that, I feel like a big baby saying that, and I have the judgement that I'm not much of a Love Coach if I can't even move through my own pattern of pain.

So all of those are really cute stories and they keep me stuck in my pain. So I'm outing myself as a victim to my pain. I feel angry and scared and sad about it. It's up for me right now in a big way. I've been creating some complications with my eyes, that express themselves in vision loss, aching eyeballs (weird right?), and headaches. And I say that I've created them because no one else has done that but me. Yay! Look what a powerful creator I am. Anywhoooo....I'd like to clean this up in my life. So the first step for me is to acknowledge that it's there. And now I'd like to appreciate my body, specifically my eyes, for communicating so loudly to me that they'd like some specific attention. I'm not sure what the attention is yet, but I am listening more closely. Next I take responsibility. I have been committed to the fascination of pain. And now I make a new commitment.... I commit to listening to my body with more gentle acknowledgment and appreciation and I commit to learning how to reorganize my body so that it/I can feel good.

Are you experiencing any discomfort in your body? Do you have any negative judgements about your body? What can you appreciate about it right now? What can you genuinely love about your body right now.

I appreciate all of the magical and beautiful things that I have been able to SEE in my life. I appreciate that my eyes are so open to experiencing life to the fullest. My eyes have been beddy, beddy good to me.

Hope to see you Thursday night at The Appreciation Circle!
Mary

Appreciation is the Doorway to Freedom

Have you ever wanted a different experience than the one you're having? Me too. I assume it is safe enough to say we all have desired for our lives to be different or "better" at some point.

But today, let's shift focus.

Imagine life as this big video game, you've decided to play. You're the character and the creator. Rather than bitching and complaining about the way your life is today, how about you take a breath and appreciate the fact that you're here, period. You're alive, right now, so despite all the many little details taking place around you, how about you forget the bullshit, even for a minute, and be willing to appreciate, you're here, having an experience.

I know this might be challenging, it has been for me, but at the end of any feeling or dark place is the dawn of a new day. Let light shine into your closest today, starting with appreciation for what is, who you are and where you're at.

Pop Quiz: What's the smallest, easiest thing you can appreciate in this moment? Begin here and let your appreciation lead you to the next step. Today, lead with love and a big gulp of appreciation.

Feelings....Nothing More Than

Have you ever been pissed that you were pissed? I have. And actually this week I had the very experience....hence the topic for this week's blog. 

I felt angry at a friend and found myself being angry at myself for being angry; thus creating lots and lots of room to feel, ummm, angry. But I didn't want to feel it you see. I just didn't want to be bothered with anger. What a pain! Here's a little nugget of a poem to explain: I call it Stupid Anger. By Mary Tebbs.

Like it or not

No matter how hard I've fought

'Don't get mad!' has been my thought

Know what I've still got

Stupid anger

Then it came to me

Just give in a breathe

And what rose up in me

Was a delicious SCREAM

And then I felt better

The end

Yup. That's right...ANGER! It can be as fun or as playful or as scary as we make it. I was making it scary because part of me has been attached to the idea that anger equals violence when in reality they are nothing alike. Fear breeds violence not anger. What I learned was that all the fighting I was doing to not have my anger only got me more of it. And as soon as I decided it was ok to feel it, to actually have fun with it and appreciate it, then I was able to move through it. And what was on the other side of the anger is what is usually on the other side of feeling my sadness or fear or anger....lovely, delicious, exhilirating open space. The kind of space where more love and fun resides. The kind of space where I feel more inspired and more enlivened. 

So I spoke my feelings to my friend and he was brilliantly and beautifully open to hearing and allowing me to have it. So thanks friend! And thanks me for becoming more friendly with my anger and creating an experience to learn more about myself and how I choose to play in the world. 

Have you had an opportunity to be pissed off this week? If so, how can you have some easeful, playful fun with it? Is there an angry poem in you too? If so, I'd love to hear it. Or maybe you'll dance an angry dance? I'd love to hear any of your experiences with anger and what you did with it.

This week at the Circle we will play with anger and appreciation and the provocative dance that they can create together.

See you in the garden!

Leading With Gratitude

I've had opportunities this week to talk with friends who have the wonderful and supersonic learnings that come from being in relationship. I judge them to be brave and committed to their own personal increases in spiritual and emotional growth. I think that romantic partnerships up the ante a great deal when it comes to going faster, deeper, bigger in ones own path to "righteousness." And I put that word in quotes because it has a very fun and powerful energy to it for me. Rock music is "righteous." A good joke is "righteous." Seeing someone take a safe and unsuspected fall is "righteous." And also, finding a way to express from essence (the very spiritual and enlightened part of us that is unconditional love) is "righteous." Ah, but I digress.

I have a couple of very close friends who have challenged themselves this week with big learnings about themselves through the vehicle of romantic partnership. As they've called on me for love and support, I keep coming back to the energizing, exciting and very simple practice of appreciation. "Speak your truth with love. Lead with appreciation." I found myself coming back to this again and again. This is a very simple practice and "come from" when relating with someone and at the same time can be as easily forgotten as remembering the first word we spoke. When we're in the heated dance of negotiating relationship with love while in conflict it can seem insurmountable to lead with appreciation. And just like our first spoken word, the practice can be remembered because our essence knows how to do this. Always has and always will. You wouldn't know what your first word was unless you had someone, probably one of your parents, remind you. And after a reminder or two you probably didn't need them to remind you anymore. And so it's the same with leading with appreciation. I am offering a reminder here to remember that essence wants to love, essence wants first and foremost to lead with gratitude. Gentle, authentic gratitude. In my personal experience, appreciation is the quickest and smoothest transition from pointing my finger at someone to getting curious and shifting into loving accountability. Appreciation is the quickest and smoothest way to the biggest, brightest and most powerful energy of all....love. 

This week at The Appreciation Circle we will be playing with leading with appreciation so if you'd like to play with this concept and be reminded of it and have an experience of it, a body-centered learning, come join us this Thursday night.

Thanks for being!

Mary

This Week!

Every quarter of the year we nominate someone in our community to receive our quarterly monetary appreciation. This is the week that we will be doing that so make sure you come with ideas about who you'd like to nominate. Nominees are people we want to specifically acknowledge with appreciation. They are not necessarily someone "in need" of money, although that can be a piece of it. The idea is to spin the appreciation and the generation of money in the energy of love, connection and appreciation.

We'll start the Circle by introducing everyone, sharing our thoughts and opening up the Circle for individuals to share any thoughts, experiences or questions they might have. This would be the time to get support, feedback and/or coaching if you're looking for it.

Next we'll open it up for nominations. The following week (next week) we will vote on which nominee we will choose to appreciate financially, verbally and spiritually.

The final piece of the Circle will be speaking appreciations and putting them into the Circle with our words and intentions.

We look forward to connecting in this energy of love, appreciation and fun with you!

See you this Thursday!

Ta Da! And Now Introducing....

The actualization of a dream! I, Mary Tebbs, have joined forces with Sir Nick James to bring to life The Appreciation Circle. We're excited to be pioneering a new wave of generating love and abundance on the planet – and happy that we get to start right here in Salt Lake City.

I hope you'll join us on Thursdays at 7:30pm to bring your own special blend of life to The Circle. Our intention is to create a safe, generous and loving space where you can come to get support, coaching, and feedback, along with a few yummy treats. We want you to take advantage of the opportunity to be part of something grounded in community love and togetherness starting Thursday, June 12th.

This Thursday we will be introducing our vision of The Circle and begin the journey of shining love, joy and abundance into the world by beginning to build a community of big love, big fun, and big appreciation.

Come learn how we'll be doing this and be a part of something that is on the cutting edge of The Age of Aquarius and other not-so-new-agey things – like basic human interaction and authentic connection. (Ok maybe they can be "new-agey" too but I like to think of what we'll be doing in terms of having some damn fun and not drowning in the seriousness of what we're "trying" to do....and doing it by each of us being our own wonderful selves.) 

And here's an invitation for you to consider: Keep in mind that this is mostly for YOU. And that by creating this for you, you can't help but create a more open, loving and generative experience on the planet – what we call in the business A Ripple Effect! So come create your ripple! One appreciation at a time!

See you Thursday!

Mary

I Like Money

Today I'm choosing to appreciate my ability to create, generate and manifest money. I've been noticing that I get what I want. I like that awareness and I have a story that the more I start really owning that quality, the more I will get what I want. 

So I appreciate that I'm on the journey of shifting my money paradigm...and that I'm upping the ante more and more.

I really do like money. A lot.