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Motivational Moments By Author Tricia Andreassen Monday, February 13 2023
How to love the most influencing person in your life by Creativity, Spiritual and Leadership Coach, Writer and Artist, Tricia Andreassen
As he and I sat together waiting for our flight, we got to talking about our life’s purpose and what we want for ourselves and he said something very cool. He said, “You know what makes us is our spirit.” Our bodies are just like a car driving us around. It’s not really what we are…..it’s just the vehicle people see. That got me thinking. Wow he is right. We judge ourselves constantly saying that we are flawed. Maybe is something physical like our weight or a disability that we have. We focus on the 5% of what is not really important (because it is what we are obsessed with) instead of the 95% of us which makes up our spirit, our soul. Why do we do this? Because we are engineered to assess what we can see instead of what we can’t. We do this because it’s a way to ignore or distract from what the real issues are. I have personally struggled with weight most of my adult life. At a time when I lost the weight I became focused on how I was looking; that looking a certain way was what was important. But what I realized is that what I was feeling in my spirit that was affecting me and in turn causing my weight gains. When we ignore the 95% of what makes us as human beings the effects are going to be released in some way. In physics there is the law of cause and effect. So, this could equate to something internally within yourself could be causing the physical issue. We might not be able to put a finger on what is the underlying reason however the first step to your internal understanding can create the end result to the mission of loving yourself. His conversation with me unlocked the flow of strategies that have helped me along the way and what I still use as a roadmap to get me back on course when I have fallen off the path. The pathway to loving ourselves is accepting us for our weaknesses and strengths. Love the quirkiness you may have in the way you look at life. Believe that “if it is to be, it’s up to me”, understanding that no matter what you must be the catalyst for moving yourself forward. What can you do as an individual to work through the process and treat yourself with unconditional love? Here are the strategies to help you with the journey of self-1discovery and falling in love with yourself; Mind – Body – and Spirit
Step 1: Write a love letter to yourself When you write a letter to yourself you are allowing the self-talk out of your brain and releasing it outward to the universe. Focus this letter on looking back and those things that might have at the time appeared to be the smallest of accomplishments. It’s those little things that we disregard as unimportant be the smallest milestones are the ones that make up the tapestry of your life. These milestones are the chapters in the book of your life. Now, you may find this challenging yet here is how I would approach it? Do you remember when you had a crush on someone or you were totally infatuated with someone and you sat down and wrote them a letter about how much you meant to them and how wonderful they were? This is how you want to approach this exercise. Pretend you are writing to someone that you have known for years and they have possibly lost faith in themselves and you want to inspire them. Share with them all the things that you remember about how they overcame struggles and how they moved through these times in their lives. Remind them about what they learned, how they helped others, what they have given to you. Of course the person you are writing to will be YOU. If you treat yourself like you are another person in this exercise you will be amazed of what may come into the forefront. Let me just share with you why I love you so much and what you give to me in my life. I guess I will start with that you are always there for me. There are days when I have been tired and have wanted to give up but you have stayed by my side, encouraged me and sing me uplifting songs. I think you for your acts of love and all of your positive encouragements. I am so very proud of you too! No matter what you keep reaching for the stars – always striving to be the best. In addition you are a great mom and wife. You give such great support to so many and I love you so much for that......" Note: Print this letter out and make 4 copies. Select someone you know to mail them for you 4 times over the course of the year so that it gets delivered to you by mail. Just when you might need it, it will come to you. Imagine looking at your life and the love of yourself through a child’s eyes; unconditional, with no reservation and with no judgement…. Thursday, February 09 2023
5 Ways to Unlock and Build Your Creativity by Creative, Spiritual and Leadership Coach Tricia Andreassen
So, I challenge you to look at yourself different and OWN that there is this creative soul in you. It wants to express itself if you only allow it. When you do, your life and ideas will come to life. If you are a business owner it will open up the world of possibilities in ways you never thought of to grow and expand; or even enjoy more. If you are a parent it will create stronger bonds to communicate with your children or grandchildren so that you mentor them with love unmatched. Here are 5 ways to unlock the creative treasure that lies within you. 3. Honor the process – As you release being attached to this perfect outcome you think you may need to have; it is then where the true beauty emerges. You see, often times we get programmed to look at the completion of the goal; the visual part of it. However, it is not what the eye sees that makes your creative side recognizable. It is enjoying the process of the actions you are taking in the moment. Let’s say you are planning a client appreciation event. You sit down with your team and you start brainstorming ideas on what they may like at this event for a free give away. Guess what? You my friend are practicing creativity! Or think about the football tailgate you are planning for next Sunday. You begin to plan the theme, the food that will be offered and the music that you will play to get people in the mood. Perhaps you want to polish up your brand and your website and you start thinking of what you may want to do. Guess what?! You are putting your creative juices to work. When you recognize that all areas of your life and business can be creative in some way you will start being aware that you are indeed creative. All you have to do it look through a different lens, recognize it as the creative process and honor what comes out of you from it. 4. Celebrate your victories – As you begin opening your mind to owning your unique creative side, celebrate that all creativity comes from within and it may come in different packages. Perhaps everyone is excited that the tailgate was the most hilarious and entertaining of the season. Perhaps it is the quietly shy employee in the group that comes up with the best idea of the week to offer a rewards program for your clients. It might even be the vision board that your team has created together embracing the words, mission statement and emotions that represents the experience you all want your customers to have. When you celebrate what has been created with no agenda or outcome to it the celebration becomes easier. When it comes easier it allows the part of you that was buried with the daily grind to rise up from beneath the surface and serve you in ways you never knew. 5. Allow yourself to dream – Really, it’s ok! Often it happens that as we get older, with more responsibilities in life and work we stop dreaming of the dreams we used to have. You know the ones. It’s the ones that were out there for people to see when you were younger and the world was in front of you. Back then people would say, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” It was acceptable to dream and think about what you loved naturally. And then, along the way, tasks list starting piling up; making a living become the top priority. Living what other people expected from you became a dominant role in your activities. And….somewhere….you stopped dreaming. You stopped wondering what it would be like to achieve that incredible thing that you once thought of often. Telling yourself you are too old to consider that option; telling yourself that no one makes money at that. These are limiting beliefs that you have trained yourself to believe and that my friend is exactly what they are; limiting. I know how difficult it can be to start dreaming again and this is why you must put into practice creativity. It is in the creative process that your subconscious will feel SAFE to express itself and talk to the spirit inside of you wanting to be heard. So, take a little step today to the creative world waiting for you. If you need help, ask for it. It is when a creativity coach that has business and life skills training can be worth a weight of that diamond that is ready for you to claim. Monday, February 06 2023
Do you need Change? by Tricia Andreassen.... Sometimes it is difficult to look at the present moment. We get caught up in the hurts of the past. We get caught up in the dreams of the future. Yet, the future is not certain and the past can not be changed. What can be changed? The way we are in this moment right now and the decisions we make right now. This is your time, right now at this moment to enjoy what is in front of you and know that all greatness is inside you...right now. Wednesday, February 01 2023
 Growth - When You Can Not See It - Unstoppable Warrior, Tricia Andreassen Have you ever watched the cycle of a rose bush growing at the beginning of spring and its transformation through the days of summer? We often get caught up in admiring the bloom once it is visible to our eye yet what is truly amazing is all the process involved for that bud to evolve into the beautiful bloom that is admired. Yet, to get those blooms the branches had to be pruned. Cut back which gave the perception that nothing was growing; nothing was creating and at work. Many times our lives are like this. We feel like we are working so hard toward something and yet we can’t see or even feel the transformation at work. In the midst of that cold hard winter season, change is happening. Cells are forming. Creation is at work. We may not see it but history has shown us the story that if we just wait, just wait the bloom will be seen. It may take time for something to grow and something to create the end result. It takes patience. Love. Understanding. It takes even pruning to cut the dead things away that do not serve us. As you go through the process of the rose, know that beautiful moments are upon you. Just as the rose captures our eye when it blooms you will find that your growth will result in beauty too. Saturday, January 28 2023
 We all have moments where we reflect on our past and the journey we have been on we assess our struggles, our failures and our losses more than we celebrate the wins. It is how our brains process. We tend to look at our weaknesses and what we didn't accomplish. Many years I struggled through these experiences. I didn't celebrate that I was an teenage entrepreneur who had bought my first property at 19. I felt like a failure because I lost a property to foreclosure after co-buying with a boyfriend who was mentally abusive. I didn't celebrate the accomplishment of going through a emotionally devastating divorce shortly after a miscarriage at 3 months and having the courage and strength to start over with less than 3 thousand in my bank account and no car. I didn't realize that growing up in an abusive and low income home somehow had given me the desire and the dream to want more...to be more...to give more. Over these years I have worked on rewriting the story of my life path as I now know with certainty that there are no accidents. God gives us the opportunities to take our hardships, our achievements and our losses into a collage that creates the story of our life. Right now in this moment we all have the choice to look through a different lens and honor the greatness, the resilience that exists in all of us. When that happens we can change our life. We can impact others in great and positive ways. We can change the world. #FindYourHappy#TriciaAndreassen #YourStoryCanChangeYourLife
Monday, January 23 2023
A common theme has been in front of me over the last two weeks. In the midst of growth, uncertainty, tiredness and purpose we can all loose our way for a moment. It may be losing way in the way we communicate with others. It may be losing way in the way we are "present" for the other person. It may be not understanding the other person's private struggles and obligations. It can be difficult to lo...ok at these obstacles as temporary set backs and also re-evaluate who is in your inner circle. Your inner circle are those who support you no matter what. With you through thick and thin. Even in the midst of things and your heart may hurt and you may cry remember that the reason you are feeling this is because your heart is so vested in the process and is so vested in the calling of how things can move mountains when the right people come together with the right purpose behind it. Sunday, January 15 2023
My spirit is telling me or calling me to write about the spirit itself. I believe that anxiety comes often when we put the limits of time upon our self when in actuality there is no meaning of time. Studies say it time and time again that there really is no time as it is a manmade thing to account for things more easily. So if that is the case how do we begin to understand that time can be our prisoner; a prisoner of our goals; a prisoner of our beliefs which set limitations upon ourselves. When we release the meaning of time and embrace the present and go with what our soul is telling us, then we will align to the purpose of what we are being called to achieve for our best self. I personally get caught up in deadlines and that is the achiever in me. At the same time it is the perception from others that most likely drive me proving that I am reaching something of achievement that they will appreciate which in turn makes me feel more worthy. Wow. Just writing that gives me such clarity of how we are so deeply rooted in looking for acceptance or appreciation from others. Imagine being in a mindset that is calming respectful of your inner voice? You know, the voice that whispers to you? The voice that you know speaks the truth of what your soul really needs? I can sincerely admit that I go in and out of this process. As much as I have made this my lifelong study to be a student and maven for mindset, spirit and energy healing the human ego worms its way in and I get drawn back into the dangers of things that suck my purpose. Recently I was coaching someone who related themselves to being the “fixer”; the role that somehow it is their responsibility to make things okay in other people’s lives. Somewhere along the way her beautifully constructed heart was eaten away a little bit at a time. You know, like termites that eat the wood from the inside out? Her vision of what she wanted to her career, the dreams she had once and the goals that once had been clear were faded or perhaps she would even say, “Lost”. The struggle is understanding that even though an executive leader knows where the gap lies it may not be their responsibility (or authority) to make those changes FOR that person. Sometimes that is the most difficult because the leader wants the project to get done but at the same time these actions can set up the organization for long term failure. As my phone started ringing every thirty minutes of so starting at 6:00am I realize that I have the choice as a leader. I can choose to focus my energy on the healing properties that feed my soul to be a stronger spirit and person. For me that is reading my Bible, sitting quietly and journaling, exercising and gaining clarity on what I want today to represent in my life. Before I can be the daughter, mother, wife, lover, business partner, friend or whatever role that is called upon me I must fill the first role which is the soul within me that I was created for FIRST. Here are some ways to tap into the place that finds a way back to yourself; the dream; the spirit inside of you. 1. Clear time just for you. – Now you may say to me Tricia, there is no time to do that. I am being pulled in so many different directions that I couldn’t find the time if I wanted to. As your coach and spirit connector I want to challenge you on this. Last year I started getting up at 4am to revel in the quiet time of the morning; lighting my candles, reading my Bible, and personal journaling from a place with no agenda. It became such a beautiful time in my day that it came to be my favorite part of the day. It became the place where I could hear my inner voice and my desires speak to me. It was in these moments that set the course for having the energy and love to give others with expecting nothing in return. Contemplate the power of the process. Our subconscious does quite a bit of work for us, holding our bodies together and operating so that it all flows for you to be alive. Think of this as a way to give a Thank You back to your soul for rejuvenation. 3. Journal – It may be that you have never thought of yourself as a writer and to journal you don’t have to be. I am sure if you ever wrote a love letter to someone you weren’t thinking about being a writer. The words just flowed from somewhere deep within you where you had tapped into the emotion you had within you. That is the beauty of journaling. There are thoughts, feelings, limiting beliefs, and deep rooted fears that often get buried in the day to day mechanics of our life. If you really want to find a way back to yourself and figure out what your inner voice is trying to say to you then I say “LEAN IN”. You know….. when we were children sharing a secret we would cup our hand around our ear and lean our bodies in to the other person so we could hear what they needed to tell us? These three things above will help you do just that. www.UnstoppableWarrior.com Sunday, December 11 2022
As I think on the fragile lives of our children my heart breaks into a thousand pieces. To loose a young life at 12 years old (in my community) that in one minute here and the next minute gone is hard to comprehend. While I don't know what happened it does cause me to reflect when Jordan was in 6th grade. That was such a hard year for him. He felt out of place for the first time and came home many a days sad. He was actively bullied by a kid in the neighborhood where I had proof the child told him he wished he were dead and came by our house threatening to beat him up. It fell on deaf ears as it was portrayed that it was jordan causing it. Thank the good Lord we moved him to a private school. He cried from being so happy. He went to straight A's, volunteer work, church, summer camp for 5 weeks and made many friends and he skipped a grade. In fact the camp director shared was a sweet child he was with others, just shy... why am I writing this? I don't know......what I know is that our children are faced with so many adult situations and decisions. As I have a calling on me to help children and adults who are wanting to heal their hearts and spirit I too reflect. What can we do? How do we instill love in one another? As I pray for this beautiful young life lost in our community it doesn't matter in what circumstances. What matters is knowing the pain of losing any life is heart wrenching for any parent,friend,grandparent. I continue to pray and seek for these answers so that we can all help others in some way ...... children, all children need love, guidance and continued Leadership just like we all do. In Mathew Jesus talks about taking care of the children. It is my hope we can... all of them. Thursday, January 19 2017
20 years ago today I went through a miscarriage. Hard to believe that I will always remember that day. Even though I know it was all in God's plan for my life I will always relate to losing something that you have a connection with.
Tuesday, October 20 2015
How to Attract Others to Your Purpose with a Significance Story
By John C. Maxwell Most people want to live a success story, and that’s a good thing. Success can bring you money, accomplishment, power and invaluable experiences. But success still falls short. Success alone cannot bring lasting happiness or deep fulfillment. Success, by itself, does not inspire others to remember and share your story long after you are gone. If you want success, and you want happiness, a legacy, and the certainty that you have made the world better for having lived, then what you want is more than a successful life; it is a life of significance. What’s the secret to living a story of significance? Living each day with intentionality. When you live each day with intentionality, there’s almost no limit to what you can do. You can transform yourself, your family, your community, and your nation. When enough people do that, they can change the world. When you intentionally use your everyday life to bring about positive change in the lives of others, you begin to live a life that matters. Intentional living is about living your best story. Your story still has many blank pages. Write them in with a life well lived.
4 Ways to Start Creating Your Significance Story
If you want to make a difference and have a significance story to tell by the end of your life, I believe I can help. But first, you need to be willing to take an important step forward. And that comes from a change in mindset, from a willingness to start living your story by approaching your life differently. 1. Put Yourself in the Story No one stumbles upon significance. We have to be intentional about making our lives matter. That calls for action—not excuses. Most people don’t know this, but it’s easier to go from failure to success than from excuses to success. In a famous study by Victor and Mildred Goertzel published in a book titled Cradles of Eminence, the home backgrounds of three hundred highly successful people were investigated. These three hundred people had made it to the top. They were men and women who would be recognized as brilliant in their fields. The list included Franklin D. Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Winston Churchill, Albert Schweitzer, Clara Barton, Gandhi, Albert Einstein, and Sigmund Freud. The intensive investigation into their early home lives yielded some surprising findings:
Adversity tried to knock these people out of their stories, but they wouldn’t have any of it. Why? They were highly intentional. They had a strong why—a purpose—which drew them forward even if the road wasn’t wide and smooth. 2. Put Significance in Your Story A well-lived story of significance is built when we focus on adding value to others and making a difference in their lives. When we live for significance, we are telling people around us that it is important to us. Almost everyone wants to live a life of meaning and significance, whether or not they express the desire. To put significance in our stories, we must do things out of our comfort zone. And we must make changes that we may find difficult. We often avoid trying to make those changes. But know this: though not everything that we face can be changed, nothing can be changed until we face it. Your story won’t be perfect. Many things will change. But your heart will sing. It will sing the song of significance. It will sing, “I am making a difference!” And that will give you satisfaction down to the soul level.
3. Put Your Strengths in Your Story Recently I had an enlightening lunch with Jim Collins, author of Good to Great. “Jim,” I asked, “What is required to bring about positive life-change to a community?” I knew he had done a lot of research on the subject of transformational movements, and I was very interested to hear his answer. “There are three questions you need to ask,” Jim replied. “They are: Can you be the best in the world at what you do? Are you passionate about what you are doing? Do you have the resources to change your world?” Since our conversation that day, I have spent a lot of time thinking about those questions. Here is what I discovered. The first question is about talent. You have skills and abilities that can help others. Can you be the best in the world using them? Maybe, maybe not. Can you be the best you in the world using them? Absolutely! You are unique, and have a unique chance to make a difference only you can make—if you’re willing to get into your story. The second question is about heart. Significance begins in the heart when we desire to make a difference. We see a need. We feel a hurt. We want to help. We act on it. Passion is the soul of significance. It’s the fuel. It’s the core. The third question is about tools. No doubt you already have many resources at your disposal. My desire is that my book Intentional Living will be another one. It will show you the way so that you can become highly intentional and live a life that matters according to your heart and values.
4. Stop Trying and Start Doing There is enormous magic in the tiny word do. When we tell ourselves, “I’ll do it,” we unleash tremendous power. That act forges in us a chain of personal responsibility that ups our game: a desire to excel plus a sense of duty plus complete aliveness plus total dedication to getting done what has to be done. That equals commitment. An attitude of doing also helps us to become who we were meant to be. It is this doing attitude that often leads to the things we were meant to do. While trying is filled with good intentions, doing is the result of intentional living. As you read this article, you may be thinking, I’m not sure if I’m ready to make a commitment to creating such a significance story. It’s an understandable reservation. But what if it is the one thing holding you back from a remarkable life? Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art, identifies this reluctance. He calls it resistance. He writes, “There is a force resisting the beautiful things in the world, and too many of us are giving in.” Choosing to live each day with intentionality and purpose helps us break through that resisting force, and the world needs that. It needs for us to live our stories and contribute to the greater story that’s happening around us. What story will you create? ~ Adapted from John C. Maxwell’s new book Intentional Living |
