The Successful Path

Kite Flying as a Metaphor for Life

2009-03-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

I went kite flying yesterday and I have to say that I had a total blast! I think I found a new hobby. I mean it was seriously fun for me. I know what does that say about me : ) Oh that George, he really knows how to party, he loves to fly a mean kite! But seriously though, I found it very meditative and relaxing. So while I was meditating on my kite not falling out of the sky, I had an epiphany.

How much of our life is like flying a kite? The kite does not require us to do anything, but to allow and let the wind to take it. We don't have to try or force it, or struggle with life, all we have to do is allow it to happen and just like the kite its flight is effortless. So the next time we find ourselves struggling so hard to make something happen, remember to let go and let the kite go where it wants to go.

Also I realized that the feeling that the kite flying had on me lasted for hours afterwards. I was calm and serene and when I laid down to take a nap I could still see the kite in my minds eye soaring ever higher. So there you have it.

Go fly a kite!

If you would like to have a free life coaching session with George call 1-877-774-9333.

The Success Principles Workshop 2009

2009-03-04T15:15:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!

Wow I'm still feeling the energy from the workshop that Jack Canfield presented on Saturday. Some of you may or may not know, but I started a meetup group The South Bay Success Principles a couple years back when Jack Canfield had put out his book "The Success Principles" and The Secret had first come out. The purpose of the group was to provide a place for people to come and learn about "The Success Principles" and work on their goals and dreams. In the process, I worked on some of mine, which were to speak and teach The Principles and to have support to write my book. The group has grown from it's humble beginnings of a couple of us talking about our goals to me presenting at The University of Toytota.

I was familiar with Jack Canfield from his "Chicken Soup for The Soul" books in the early nineties, but when my wife handed me this one it just so resonated with me. Jack basically compiled all his best work over the past years and put it into one volume for the reader to have if they wanted success in any area of their life. It was like a master book of success strategies. I had just left the non-profit sector as a Marriage and Family Therapist and was considering Life Coaching when my wife gave me the book. Now the funny thing is that my wife does not read this kind of material, but she "just thought I might like it." Boy was she ever right. I had been struggling with the question of what to do with my life, if not therapy? I have worked in the helping profession for almost twenty years and it was how I defined myself. Now what? As I read Jack's book, so many times I identified with his writing that I kept telling my wife he has traveled so many of the paths that I want to travel. It was as if he was writing for me! At the time, I had created a Parenting Company with a couple of friends, but it dawned on me that I was constantly coaching them in the business as opposed to being a partner, then *BAM* the light went on and I realized that while I was interested in parenting, and business, I was doing what I always did with friends, family, and clients, I was empowering and supporting them to reach their highest potential. Once I had created the company and it was off and running, I stepped down as President and CEO, so that I could focus on my core genius.

I decided to take a leap of faith and to do what came most naturally to me and that is using my intuition and empathy to inspire, empower, and support others to discover their highest potential. Around this time, he offered a Life Coaching program and I jumped at the opportunity. I worked The Success Principles and continue to use them in my day to day work with my clients and myself.

My group continues to grow as we have become a support for others who are trying to change their life in a positive manner. We use "The Success Principles" as well as other Law of Attraction and Life Mastery Teachers, such as Eckhart Tolle, Abraham/Hicks, and many others.

I currently offer a "Vision Board PlayDay" as well as a "Vision Quest" where I lead you on a guided meditation to discover your life's purpose. Here is a short clip from "The Success Principles Workshop" in Anaheim, CA. this past Saturday. I have seen Jack in Santa Barbara for his taping of the PBS Special and met him briefly then and at The Los Angeles Times Book Expo and he is always the most gracious person with his time.

As always, Jack was great and passionate about the material as he even ran over to make sure that he covered everything he intended. He was also very generous in signing autographs and posing for pictures. He has his "Breakthrough to Success" 7 day training coming on August 9-15, 2009 at the Fairmont in Scottsdale, Arizona if you get a chance go!

In Peace and Love,

George

Loving Yourself

2009-02-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone!

Well Valentines has come and gone and I hope that you are still loving yourself and not depending on others to validate your being. Loving ourselves is one of the most important things we can do to obtain our goals in life. We have heard it so many times that it has become cliche, but we must learn to love ourselves before we can truly love another. This is really at the core of getting what we want in life. We must first feel that we deserve it otherwise it will not matter what is put before us. Here is a short video that I sent out to my groups but I thought was a message that everybody could benefit from hearing.

Wishing You Much Love,

George

56th Presidential Inauguration January 20th, 2009

2009-02-06T00:50:00.000-08:00

3-D Magical Puzzle Look Closely

2009-02-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

Hello All,
Today I was visiting my in-laws with my daughter when my father-in-law brought out one of those 3-D Puzzles where it looks like nothing is there but a design but as you continue to stare the "Magic" pops out. Do you remember these? They were real popular in the early 90's or so. Anyway he gives it to my daughter and of course she sees the image almost immediately. I on the other hand with my analytical left brain going full blast with all that we had to do, and on a time schedule to get back home, etc. could not see anything. Now granted I never liked these things and have always had a hard time with them could not see it.

I remembered how to do it: Focus on one spot and stare and let the picture begin to blur, blah blah blah, but alas nothing. I was determined to see the darn image which had already been described to me by my father-in-law and my daughter as a Northern Pike. My daughter lovingly points to the mass of swirls and psychedelic colors and says, "see dad his mouth is right here."

O.K. I know he's there, and I know how to do it, but with all the pressure to "see it" I kept getting shaken out of my intense gaze and would have to start all over again. Finally, I'm like let me just do it. My daughter giggled under her breath. "AHA, I see him, I see him." Look there's his mouth and fins and he's popping out...MAGIC. Too bad my father-in-law had already walked away, so I couldn't tell him I saw it.

So what does this all have to do with The Successful Path you might ask? I think that many things in our life our just like the Magical 3-D puzzle. We may try and try and even know how to do something and yet we have no results. We try harder and harder and even become intensely focused only to no avail. Sometimes we need to sit back and relax and let things become a little out of focus, o.k. downright blurry and watery-eyed, before it comes into focus.

I think the message is also that we must slow down, really slow down to see the MAGIC. We miss it when we rush or analyze what is very obvious and right in front of us. We don't have to do anything special but take the time to become conscious and aware. Looking at this 3-D puzzle I felt the shift from left brain analytical to right brain visual spatial literally. I was in the logical analytical part of my brain that absolutely could not see the image before me, but as soon as I relaxed and let go of any expectations of what was to come, there it was looking me right in the eye so to speak.

The message became even more clear as I felt hurried that we had so many things to do and I had promised my daughter a nature walk. I balked, she pouted, we went, and again the same message. "Slow down, look, breathe, stay present, and MAGIC again. We had a fantastic time full of wonderful surprises. We were able to see ducks, squirrels, rabbits, and a beautiful white bird that I have yet to name. This is the 3-D Magic of our lives.

Still More Pics

2009-01-28T23:30:00.001-08:00

More Inauguration Pictures

2009-01-26T22:02:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of 7th St. before everybody arrived.

Here's 7th St. as it became jammed packed.

Yes We Did!

2009-01-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

Well we attended the Presidential Inauguration and I must say it was probably one of the most intense things I have ever experienced on many levels. First on a physical level it really was brutal as it was below freezing temperatures and I believe the temps dipped to like eight degrees at its lowest point...Brrrrrr.

We stayed at the beautiful Crystal City Gateway Marriott in Arlington Virginia which was just a hop away from the Mall by metro or cab. We woke up about 2am in the morning, or in my case stayed up all night-I felt like a kid on Christmas Eve-to beat the crowds on the Metro. This was compounded since the Metro was not running until 4am and we wanted to leave before everybody else so we took a cab as close as we could get since the entire city was shut down to incoming traffic except for taxi's and tour buses. As we were driving the State Trooper had the freeway blocked, but pulled back to allow us through. Even then some of the major exits were blocked and we would still have to walk. Once we were there at the Mall we found that it had all been fenced in and the police were still conducting a sweep of the entire Mall.

At first it was a peaceful easy feeling with people sitting and chatting and basically trying to stay warm. It was very common for people to introduce themselves and to say what part of the country they were from. I must say I never traveled so far to meet so many people that lived so close to me. Eventually people started to wake up or arrive from the Metro as the streets began to fill and you could no longer see where the "line" began and ended. The fact that we were "lined" up meant nothing to the "newcomers" who were now pouring in from all streets. It was as if they just converged and for the first time I thought, "wow this is really a big crowd and could turn dangerous" at any minute if they were to start pushing. I quickly put the thought out of my head and continued holding on to my wife as people began to become impatient with waiting in the freezing cold and we started to get pushed together pretty tightly.

I did my best to keep good feelings and many were joking and keeping our spirits high. At one point a group of people calling themselves "volunteers" started trying to make their way through the crowd to the gate, but they had no "official" anything. They just all had red on as if that was somehow supposed to distinguish them as volunteers. The crowd gave them a hard time at first and some made it through and others just got trapped as the wave of people opened to allow them through and then closed. The running joke became, "I have red on too, I must be a volunteer." I think the Inaugural Committee would have thought this one out a little better. I mean you try to tell people that have been waiting over night that this person who wants to get in front of you is a volunteer is a lot to swallow.

At some point there was a police van that tried to get to the gate and just parked there at the entrance waiting. There wasn't much to do except try to stand and stay warm. At one point some of the people thought they were letting people in and people began to push and my heart just sank as I thought oh this could be deadly if people keep pushing. I and a few others started yelling not to push and somehow the pushing quelled. I felt great relief, but then chanting broke out and I thought they are going to have to let us in or they are going to have a bigger problem.

As if my prayer was answered around 5:00AM they opened the gates and then the danger became obvious as everybody began to run and fast. I grabbed my wife's hand and told her not to let go as we ran too to avoid being knocked to the ground. It was both exciting and scary at the same time. I couldn't believe how close we were actually getting to the Capital before it became impacted. We had a plan as one of our party wanted to stand in front of the first Jumbo Tron on the left side. As we were running there was strobe lights for some reason, so imagine everybody running with a strobe light flashing created a very surreal effect. Finally we reached our destination and we staked our ground by placing our blanket on the ground. It was amazing to see the Capital all lit up and people just everywhere you could imagine. It was a sea of people as far as you could see. Most sat on the ground which was a combination of frosty dead grass and dirt which made for a very cold seat.

Around this time, we ate our peanut butter (I know) and jelly sandwiches and some trail mix and began to hunker down and try to stay warm. It was dark and cold and we talked and chatted and texted and everything else we could think to do, but at some point we all just sort of sat or laid down. Some tried to sleep and the rest of us tried to conserve energy by not talking. We took out hand warmers and placed them in our gloves and found that they were indeed little miracles in that these little things can give off some serious heat which is what you need when your fingers feel like they can freeze. Eventually we placed some in our shoes to warm our toes, but somehow they didn't seem to work as well as the hand warmers, maybe because it was too darn cold on the ground. Some in our group covered themselves with blankets that are used to treat shock in case of an emergency and this seemed to help against the wind, because tents were not allowed.

There we sat in silence. No noise no Jumbo Tron. Just the beautiful crescent moon that gave off a nice yellow glow. At some point you could see the sun just beginning to rise and a crackle of noise was given off by the speakers of the Jumbo Tron and the crowd went crazy. A little later when the sun began to light the Mall they began to play a repeat of the concert from the day before and again the crowd went crazy. Any sign of life brought a cheer from an otherwise groggy crowd. A helicopter flew overhead and the crowd cheered as if signaling an S.O.S. Somehow an acknowledgement that we were there and alive.

Change in 2009

2009-01-18T00:27:00.000-08:00

I'm headed to the Inauguration this coming week and I'm really beginning to feel excited. I mean this is history in the making. I have to say that I have really enjoyed this past couple of years of political campaigning. Yes there were some really tough times and yes it got a little ugly, o.k. at times it was bloody. However I must say that one of the things I admire most about our soon to be President is his ability to take a higher road or look for the spiritual solution to what otherwise might seem like an insurmountable problem. He rises above the fray. He tries to do what he believes is right and good for the whole. That is the impression I get and I am very happy to see change coming. I believe he means it when he says he wants to change the way we do politics. Now whether he will be able to accomplish his goal remains to be seen, but I believe he will stay the course and fight the good fight.

Now I don't usually write about politics, but I must say that Obama is one of the finest examples of using Success Principles to attain your goals. I get the feeling that this guy really believes that as we think so we become. He is living proof that what we believe we can achieve. He definitely shows this in his thoughts, words, and now his actions. I think he also has the wonderful ability to lead by example and his oratory skills are amazing. He has already given so much hope and inspiration to so many. Even those that don't know him feel an affinity to him when they listen to him speak.

So where does this lead us all to? Well I believe that we all have our strengths and gifts and when we discover what our life purpose is all about and begin to live our life from this place we become powerful. Not in a power hungry sort of way, but in a presence sort of way. We begin to realize our potential and we become an energy that is focused and well powerful. Even though the gift may be natural it still requires work and exercise to bring it to it's full potential and the same is true for us. We must live our life in a balanced way by certain principles that guide us. Things that are found from any good leader or successful person. Today I heard Obama speak about responsibility of the people, and of the political leaders, and of the responsibility of the people to hold their leaders accountable, as well as taking responsibility for ourselves.

This is huge as it is the number one principle that Jack Canfield writes about in "The Success Principles." Most people miss how important this principle is but there isn't a person alive who has become successful at what they do without taking 100% responsibility. The reason this is such a powerful success principle is that when we take responsibility for everything, good, bad, or other, we accept that we played a role in it and we are ultimately the creators of our life, and if we don't like the results that we are getting we can then begin to change (there's that word again) how we do them. Now if we don't accept responsibility then we blame everybody else for our problems and we feel helpless and victimized.

And this is what makes Obama such a strong leader already. He acknowledges his strengths and weaknesses. He knows he is going to make mistakes but he is willing to take responsibility for his decisions, his best thinking, with the help of a few dozen others. So in order for us to take control of our lives we must be willing to accept 100% responsibility for all that we see around us. We are either living our life on pupose or by default. Which is it going to be? One is empowering even if we "fail" or fall short of our goals and the other is a life of sleeping through it all. This is not a dress rehearsal so wake up!

I will be posting some video footage from Washington DC very soon so stay tuned.

In Peace, Love, and Abundance,

George

Your Life in 2009

2009-01-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

Well the New Year is here and this is the perfect time to write about goals vs. resolutions and promises and agreements that we want to keep with ourselves to make 2009 the best year ever, but I would like to suggest something New for this year.

While having goals is important and I'm a big believer in having goals to direct the sails of our life, I would like for us to take a look at how we are treating ourselves this year. Are we being kind, gentle, and loving towards ourselves?

I caught just a sound bite of Oprah the other day saying how angry she was at herself for gaining back all the weight she had lost and it sort of stuck out as a major problem that most of us have when we are trying to lose weight, eat right, earn more, get a new job, or relationship, or whatever. Most of us are not loving and accepting of ourselves to say "hey I may not have lost that twenty pounds, but I'm still a worthy person."

Most of us have that inner critic going strong that is telling us that we are just not good enough or else we would have already lost the weight, bought the house, have the job, relationship, or whatever other lie the critic can come up with to bring us down.

The truth of the matter is that we are all lovable and capable, and the sooner we find this out and start to treat ourselves like the wonderful, beautiful, miracles that we are the quicker we will attain those goals, promises, agreements, or whatever else you want to call them. In fact, until we feel good enough about ourselves that we believe that we truly deserve whatever it is we are seeking, we will not attain it, or will not be able to hold onto it for long if we do.

So before you go getting upset at yourself for not eating right, not exercising, not making enough money, not having the right relationship, not living in the right neighborhood, or not driving the right car, or whatever delusion the ego will create for you, try stopping the critic by becoming consciously aware and begin loving the person you truly are from the inside out.

Now if this is new for you then you may find that getting in touch with your authentic self can be a time of self-discovery and you may think of it as getting to know a romantic partner. In fact, you may begin to have a wonderful relationship with yourself, and then when you are overflowing with self-love will you begin to attract those things that you want for your life.

Wishing You Much Love and Prosperity for 2009!

George

Simple Abundance

2008-12-15T20:52:00.000-08:00

Well here we are in the middle of the holiday season with "ten shopping days" left until Christmas. I must say this is one of my favorite times of year, and I have enjoyed this Christmas season so much, but not for the reasons you might think. I have had some wonderful experiences this holiday season.

I was visited by my younger brother and his girlfriend in the beginning of the month and treated to Knotts Berry Farm which I had not been to in years! We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves looking at all the Christmas decorations and the highlight for me was getting on the "Accelerator," an 82 MPH rollercoaster!

The next week, my parents came down and stayed for a few days. The time went by so fast, but we enjoyed having them down during this holiday season. I know my daughter really enjoyed seeing her grandparents and I could tell she was sad when they left. While they were down we saw "The Glory of Christmas" at the Crystal Cathedral. I have always wanted to visit and I finally did with my family. It was really a very special performance telling the story of Christmas through narrative and song with seven angels and live animals.

Next I went with my wife to her company Christmas party. Every year we say we are going to go but something always seems to come up, but not this year. It was small but nice, and the food was good. I think just the idea of getting away for a few hours was a lot of fun. Well there have been party invitations as well. We attended a birthday party for a friend's son and it was so good to see old friends as well as meet new.

This year has been different though as we agreed with our family and friends not to give "gifts." We have a large family and decided we would not purchase gifts as is our usual custom. I have noticed that what is most important is giving the gift of our time or presence. I have not missed the stores, crowds, or rushing around to finish last minute shopping. We didn't even go out and buy a fresh tree this year.

We have a nice artificial tree that we usually put up in one of the rooms but is not our main tree. This year we put it up right after Thanksgiving and it was just enough. The same with the gifts. We made some things that we have given away and my daughter is forever making art and crafts to give away. I'm not sure if it is the recession or what, but we usually receive a lot of Christmas cards, but this year has been the lowest ever! The strange thing is that it felt fine. Everybody who wanted to has called or written or we have visited already.

Even when my family came to visit there was a sense of "fullness" and a feeling that we had everything we needed. There was no need to buy anything for we had everything: Our family, friends, health, jobs, dogs, a cat, I mean what else could we want? Even still there were gifts...not new mind you, but things that were given with heart-felt thought. I received a "new" coat that was given to me by an old friend of the family back in my hometown who thought I might appreciate it, and I did! Then there was the food that my parents brought...handmade pasta from a shop where people wait hours to get in just to buy their favorite foodies. Again not ham or steak, but pasta, ravioli to be specific, tasty and simple.

I've been counting my blessings since Thanksgiving and I continue to thank The Universe for all that it has provided this year. I feel truly grateful for all that we have this season. In a time when our country is faced with a recession and with people losing houses, businesses, jobs, and relationships, I feel truly fortunate.

This has been a Christmas of Simple Abundance. We have had an abundance of love, kindness, and simple things. No we did not buy a new car, t.v., computer, or anything that lavish, but we have enjoyed time with our families, friends, and with our pets. We have laughed, drank hot apple cider, and eggnog and sang Christmas Carols. I have built a fire that took me way too long and then burned way into the morning to keep us warm and toasty. My daughter decorated Gingerbread cookies in the park, and I'm still grateful for her wonderful homeschooling classes.

Again, simple abundance. And as they said in the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Lighting the other night.

PEACE ON EARTH AND GOODWILL TOWARDS WO/MAN!

Thanks Giving

2008-11-24T12:38:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving just a few day away, we have the perfect opportunity to really allow a feeling of gratitude to fill us. When we are grateful for all the blessings we have, we allow more to come into our lives. Feeling grateful for what we have is a feeling that all is well and that there is not want. For there is no "want" in The Universe" because it is all expansive and ever creating. There is no "need" for we are provided for everything we need. When we understand this at a core level we know that we are always provided for and looked after.

When we feel that we "need" something then we are living in a state of "want" and longing for what we do not have and this only causes pain and suffering. If we can change our thoughts to being grateful and having enough we will be begin to feel the abundance that surrounds us. Once we feel abundant we attract more abundance. There is not that anxious feeling of want but rather the feeling that we have so much more than we could ever use.

Many of us don't think about the fact that most of what we consider problems are really not problems, but abundance. When we have a full schedule and have "no time" and we have to clean up our house, and we begin to complain inside our heads about all the things we have to do. We have parties to prepare for and places to go and jobs to do, and the list goes on and on...these are all abundance.

Think about it! You have family and friends that keep you so busy...that is abundance. A job that you have to work at...yep abundance. A messy house that needs cleaning...yep abundance. Think of all that you have and how much you have and say a silent "thank you." Throughout the day see if you can reframe how you look at all these so called "problems" to one of abundance.

As you do, you will see miracles happen right before your eyes, because The Universe smiles on those who are thankful for all they have been given. The more you have the more you have to be thankful for and the more you have been given the more you have to give. As you begin to understand that the more you give, the more that is given to you, you will begin to witness a wonderful flow of energy that can be seen in the wonderful life that you will see before your eyes.

In Peace, Love, and Gratitude,

George

Visualization Pillow

2008-11-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

As I prepare for Vision Quest 2009, I have an added element to enhance the guided meditation process. I have created "The Visualization Pillow." This is a wonderfully relaxing and refreshing pillow that rests over your eyes as you meditate or visualize on what you intend to manifest. It is made of crushed purple velvet and feels luxurious against the skin. Inside is where the real magic begins in that it is filled with high-grade French blue lavender and flax seed. This makes it very healthy and safe for children and pets.

The aroma this pillow gives off is amazing! It can be used to enhance your visualization experience or to relax your nerves, clear your mind, or to help with falling asleep as well. It is really quite amazing. Lavender is known to have healing qualities and this is certainly the case for me.

The other day, I had a rare tension headache and placed the pillow upon my eyes and inhaled deeply and after about a ten minute rest the headache was gone! These are also excellent for those of you that have trouble sleeping, nightmares or bad dreams. My daughter took one to bed with her and said she had only sweet dreams. I actually fell asleep with one and found my dream life quite active and enhanced.

These make nice natural gifts for the holidays!

The cost is only $15.00 + shipping and handling
For more information you can write me at gccoaching@yahoo.com or call 1-877-774-9333

Vision Board Play Day with George Castro, LMFT

2008-11-08T17:28:00.000-08:00

Hello Everybody,

I've been so busy with all the wonderful things I have in the works that I forgot to post a short video from our Vision Board Play Day on September 20th, 2008. It was a very fun, creative, and productive day! We had a full house and the energy was very high. I was very impressed by all the wonderful Vision Boards that were created that day. Here is a very short introduction of the day.

In Peace and Love,

George

Success, Wealth, and Prosperity

2008-09-28T23:35:00.000-07:00

The other day I heard somebody say that “she could not demonstrate prosperity unless she had a certain number of people to listen to her speak.” I was dumbfounded at this remark because her words were her personal affirmation and demonstrated her belief system. I am sure she has created exactly as she believes. This is a very interesting perspective and you could fill in the blank with whatever you want… “I cannot demonstrate prosperity unless_______________________.” You can see the fundamental error in thinking when you look at this example. First it is already affirming a negative and a lack so there is no way that this person “could demonstrate prosperity” with this mindset, but more importantly prosperity is so much more than financial gain. In this particular case the person was talking about money, but prosperity is not just about money. Prosperity is a spiritual principle that applies to health, happiness, wealth, good fortune, and yes money.

Wealth, Success, and Prosperity are often used to describe money but the truth is that there is so much more to Prosperity than money. We demonstrate prosperity whenever we are grateful for all that we have and we see that there is no lack in The Universe, not really, only in our minds and our limitations that we place on ourselves and others. When we understand that every individual is born perfect and has the potential to be, do and have whatever they want by their birthright and understand that there is no “lack” and hence no number needed to “demonstrate” prosperity. It isn’t a certain amount of dollars, clients, cars, relationships, houses, or whatever else our minds can conjure up. All that is illusion and what keeps us separated from our true selves and from happiness and true joy. When we put these kinds of expectations upon ourselves and others we can never be happy or prosperous. We will constantly try to fill ourselves and attain enough of whatever it is we think we need. We will continually seek happiness in things and others. True Prosperity is an inside job. It is an effect that overflows from the cause of our right thinking.

I felt very sad for this person who said this too because she works with others and money and really thought she had to have a specific number of potential clients in the room or it wasn’t worth her time. It was all about quantity and not about quality. This person did not understand the first thing about spiritual principles or the law of cause and effect or she would have understood that prosperity is a way of mind. A way of thinking that says, “I have all that I need” and “The Universe provides and gives me all I want and need.” To want or need affirms lack as opposed to gratitude which affirms abundance. When we are grateful for what we have we see the abundance everywhere and we overflow with Prosperity and Joy. We demonstrate Prosperity by living our life’s purpose and showing others our passion and allowing that which we have been given to flow back to others. We demonstrate our wealth by giving back what was given to us in time, energy, knowledge, money, or whatever it is we have to offer. When we put out into the world what we have been given The Universe rewards us ten times ten fold what we have given. We must in essence, give it away to keep it. Prosperity is about creating and adding value to the world through our loving kindness and letting that flow from us to others. It is about giving and not taking. When we are doing what we love we are prosperous, wealthy, and successful no matter the numbers. Nothing anybody can do or say can change that or take that away from you. You are living your life from your true purpose or core genius. Your success cannot be measured by the number of widgets you create, sell, or earn. You are successful by your very love for what you do and your energy and enthusiasm will attract whatever it is you seek be it clients, money, or things. It is a mindset that you already are successful. It is not a destination to be achieved. That somehow you are here but you want to be there. You are always here and you understand that the time is always now!

The idea that somehow we are waiting to have something or attain something is an illusion which keeps us further away from happiness. We demonstrate prosperity by our health, wealth, and thinking. The right way of thinking is what brings all things to us. A good question to ask is how have I attracted these results or lack thereof? When we take responsibility for all that we have created through our thoughts including the good, the not so good, and everything, we will understand the powerful position we are in to change things we do not like in our lives and to create and re-create at will.

Wishing You Much Prosperity,

George

George Castro, LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Life Coach, and Intuitive Healer. For more information you can write George at gccoaching.com or visit him on the web at http://www.georgecastromft.com

Vision Boards

2008-03-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody!

Well it has been awhile since my last post, but I wanted to write a little about Vision Boards. I will be giving a workshop on Vision Boards on March 28th, 2008 at The Core Your Perfect Center in Redondo Beach and thought it appropriate to write a bit about them.

Vision Boards are a very powerful tool that have gone by many names over the years. They have been known as Treasure Maps, Vision Boards, Dream Boards, and Visioning Boards. The idea behind the Vision Board is that we think in pictures and what we enter into our brains, our super-computer, the brain goes to work to try to attain or in the case of a problem to try to solve. This happens on a subconscious level and many times without us even trying. This is why many times we have our "inspirations" or "aha" moments when we are in the shower or right before we fall asleep or awake. We are in between the sub-conscious and conscious state that allows for a flow of ideas to take place. "A stroke of genius."

Athletes and coaches use the same process of "visioning" to help them achieve the results they want during a game or tough match. The athlete learns how to meditate and how to "see" or "vision" himself making the shot or making the play exactly as he would want it. You see the brain does not judge what we put into it, it just goes about the business of trying to solve problems and achieve what we ask of it. "What the mind can conceive the body can achieve" as was stated by Napoleon Hill and W.Clement Stone.

The Vision Board works much the same as we imagine or vision ourselves in our "perfect life." The way it works is very simple. We take a board or any material actually that is easy for you to handle and work with and we take images that we have collected from magazines, books, photos, text, print, artwork, material, or whatever you choose that represents the things you want to attain in your life. The more specific we can be with what we want and the clearer we are about our intention to receive it the easier it is to achieve the things we desire. So whenever possible try to personalize your board to suit you. This may mean putting your own picture in juxtaposition to the items you want to attain.

For some this will be easy and fun and you will have a blast just picking out the images you want to attach to your board. For others it may raise questions about what you truly want in your life. Remember this is your opportunity to create your life just as you would want it to be.

This may be more challenging for others as the possibility of actually attaining what we want in our life is a big responsibility. I have done this exercise for many years and you would be surprised with how many people are actually afraid of getting what they want in life. Many talk about the fear of failure but what it really is about is the fear of success of truly seeing who we are and what we want in life.

I would like to say that there is not a right or wrong way to create a Vision Board. Only you know what your ideal life looks like so you create it the way you want it! In my experience the true power of the Vision Board comes from the therapeutic task itself which is a right-brain activity which is the creative and intuitive side of our brains. When we engage this part we short-circuit the left-brain or the critical and analytical thinking brain. This is important for a couple of reasons.

One it allows us to connect with our intuitive or higher self, which some call Source, The Universe or God, but it also allows us to flow from a place that is not judging criticizing what we feel or want to attain in life. Too often when we take part in the process of working to attain what we want we judge it and it never gets off the ground. The ideas we receive from our intuition our God inspired and are our truth.

When we come from this place and listen to what we truly feel and act on it we feel powerful and successful because we are aligned with our highest good. We are doing that which brings us the most joy and happiness in the world.

I encourage you all to create a Vision Board with the things you would like to attain and put it in a place where you will see it and be reminded and meditate on these things to bring them to fruition.

If you would like to join us we will be meeting at The Core located at 4450 W 182nd St. in Redondo Beach, CA. 90278 from 7:00-9:00 PM.

I look forward to seeing you there!

In peace and love,

George

George Castro, LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Life Coach and can be reached at gccoaching@yahoo.com or visit him on the web at http://www.gccoaching.com

All We Need is Love

2008-02-14T11:16:00.000-08:00

We have all heard the line that we must love ourselves before we can love another but do we understand the true meaning of this thought? The idea that we are all connected and bound together by the same creative force that connects the oceans and the stars is one that is mind-boggling, but when we accept that there is but one creative energy that runs through us and our neighbor then we begin to understand that what we think, say, and do to others we do to ourselves.

There is no getting ahead of our neighbor or the person in line or the person on the freeway. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is a powerful statement. When we understand that their is no competition only cooperation we understand the true meaning of the statement. The converse is also true. When we love ourselves and give to ourselves all that we need without judgement and allow our best self to shine through we make the world a better place. We literally help others when we become the best person we can be. Now this may happen indirectly or directly but we literally make the world better when we live up to our highest potential.

So instead of waiting for somebody to give you something for Valentine's Day or to do something for you, try loving yourself and doing something nice for yourself first and then others. Write yourself a love letter and tell yourself all things you love about yourself. You can start by writing: Dear____________, I love__________, and I love________. See if you can make a long list that you can keep with you. Remember to sign it with a loving signature and put lots of X0X0X0.

You can also send out thoughts of love to all those that are not with you, and to those that are you can express it to them directly through your thoughts, actions, and words. You don't have to go out and buy anything. Make your love a gift or better yet do something nice for them. It can be anything from making them a cake to making their favorite meal, or doing something thoughtful like washing the dishes or other task.

If you're not feeling particularly loving then this is a clue that you need to fill your love tank. Go to the mirror and look directly into your own eyes and tell yourself, "I Love You." At first it will be difficult and your mind will resist, but keep saying it in as a convincing voice as you can. Tell yourself all the things you love about yourself. Keep doing this until it begins to feel true. You will notice a shift in your affect and your thoughts will change as well.

When we feel good about ourselves we feel good about others! Think good thoughts and do something nice for yourself and those around you.

Wishing you much love today and always,

George

George Castro, LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist and life coach. He can be reached at gccoaching@yahoo.com or visit him on the web at www.georgecastromft.com

The Thoughts We Think The Words We Speak

2008-02-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

The words we speak are a manifestation of the thoughts we think. Want to know how somebody is thinking then just listen to him to speak. People who speak words of gratitude, love, and peace, are thinking these thoughts!

The words we speak are blessings and curses depending on how we use them. This is why we must be mindful of the thoughts we think so that we can speak the truth as we know it. The clearer we are in our mind and in our thoughts the quicker we will attain the things that we want. Listen to the things you say. Your words are very powerful. Do you affirm abundance, health, and success or do you condemn yourself and others and create more of the same?

Some people have been living without consciously thinking about what they are saying about themselves. They call themselves dumb, stupid, or fat. Think about how horrible this feels to hear and that is exactly what the sub-conscious mind does when we say these things. It records them and does not judge them. It is a like a super-computer whose only job is do what you tell it. If you say you are poor, dumb, and fat, so be it. Not only does it store the information, but it goes into action trying to attain what you asked of it.

Many don't even realize they do this to themselves daily. Many of us have been conditioned from such an early age about a multitude of things including how to feel about ourselves. Where did we get that conditioning you ask? From family, friends, teachers, mentors, the media, etc. When we are children we are very impressionable to wide range of influences and not all of them positive.

Over time we "believe" what others have told us on any given subject. We have not learned to critically "think" about anything. To think requires energy and conscious action it is not just responding to what we "think" we know. We respond usually with the information we have stored in the super-computer the sub-conscious. Now if all we have in there is negative thoughts and ideas then we need to start to clean house. Many of us have negative ideas about ourselves, our family, money, other countries etc. The list goes on and on and it is up to us to start to really think about what we want our lives to be like.

We literally can have anything we want when we use this wonderful gift we have and decipher what is true from what is not true. Many times the critical parent or teacher can have such a negative impact on us with just their words. Just by stating something in the negative is all it takes. This is like a poison and can infect your thinking for a long time. You see the sub-conscious mind will store this information forever. You can learn to replace these thoughts and ideas but the majority of people have them running like bad computer programs. Just like a virus these negative thoughts and beliefs slow us down and drain our energy.

The converse of this is also true! We can bless ourselves and others. We can think good thoughts and tell ourselves good things about ourself and others and we begin to actually feel good. Try it! Tell youself something good about yourself like, "I am a good____________" and see how you feel. Now imagine you did this all the time with the different areas of your life! "I have wonderful friends and a beautiful relationship." You get the idea. Our lives would be transformed. Want to have a good day then think positive thoughts of everybody! Give everybody the benefit of the doubt! Be grateful for everything you have and wish the best for others and you will see it comes back to you.

Wishing you health, happiness, and prosperity,

George

George Castro, M.S., LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Life Coach. You can reach George at gccoaching@yahoo.com or visit him on the web at http://www.gccoaching.com

Letting Go

2008-02-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

We often don't think much about letting go, but rather gaining or attaining. The secret to really getting what we want is one of letting go. We have to be able to let go of ideas, things, behaviors and relationships that no longer work for us. How do we know if they work for us you ask? Well if we are not happy with what we have in our lives then they are not working for us. The paradox of the situation is funny because in order to gain more of what we want we must be o.k. with what we have. I know it sounds contraditory but it's not.

When we think we do not have something we create the feeling of lack or of need which does not attract success. Ask anybody who has been looking for a date or life partner. When we feel the energy of desperation we are not attracted, we usually run the other way. We must begin to feel o.k. with what we have and really come to peace with ourselves, our jobs, our cars, our pay.

Now just for clarity sake I'm not suggesting complacency by any means, I'm suggesting we come to accept where we are and to appreciate all that we do have. When we think, "I'm pretty happy" with myself, my job, my life, then we create feelings of love and peace and that's extremely attactive! Think about it. Are you more attracted to the desperate car sales man trying to make a sale or the high-end person who knows they have the goods and lets you make your own decision. See the difference. It is one of attraction and we are all attracted to loving and peaceful people.

So where do we start? We begin to cultivate the seeds of gratitude in our minds. We can begin by just being grateful for what we have here and now. Whatever your situation is you can be grateful and express this in a multitude of ways. You can consciously choose to think positive thoughts. Don't let negative thoughts enter your mind as they grow like weeds! You can also begin to slow down and notice the beauty that surrounds you and thank your creator whoever that may be for you. Lastly before you go to bed, run through your mind briefly the thoughts of the day and "thank" The Universe for providing you with everything you needed. You can start by saying "thank you for________," and "thank you for_________." You want to get to a place where all you are filled with is an abundance of gratitude. When we become so full that we fall off to sleep only thinking of the good that surrounds us we will be over flowing with love and peacefulness.

Another step we can take is to rid ourselves of things that no longer serve us or drain our energy. We tend to hold onto things much longer than is good for us. We need to flow more and allow good things into our life and this requires making space for those things to come into our life.

If we have a house full of junk and a garage full too we only clutter up our brains with thoughts that drain us. We want to be renewed and born again for the new year. This is our life and it's a celebration so we must be willing to let go of the past which only holds us down. Have a garage sale or give things away. We often hold onto items that we perceive have value when in reality they are costing us so much more in mental energy to support them.

Look at the storage business in the U.S. We've created large receptacles to hold our "stuff" until a later "time" when we will "use" them. This is crazy! The only time is now and we have to be willing to release what is not working if we want a different life. We must think differently and only then will we feel and behave differently. For everything that surrounds us started from a single thought.

Clear out all the cobwebs of your mind by taking care of your body, mind, and spirit. We need to be mindful of what we think and what we say. Even saying words like "dumb" "stupid" or "poor" or whatever negative word you may be using drain our energy to create. Say those words over and see how you feel as compared to "happy" "loving" "peaceful" "abundant" "joyful" "healthty" "prosperous". Feel the difference?

When we use our words we are putting into action all our thoughts and intentions to The Universe. We are literally creating our life by the thoughts we think of ourselves and others. Don't believe me think good things of yourself and the people in your life and they appear loving and god-like. Think negative and angry thougths and watch the re-action you receive. Lets live our lives on purpose and make conscious decisions about what we want for ourselves.

Wishing you much health, happiness, and prosperity,

George

George Castro is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Life Coach and can be reached at gccoaching@yahoo.com or visit him on the web at http://www.gccoaching.com

Vision Quest 2008 Attract Success Now

2008-01-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

We are ten days into the New Year and in order to kick off this year right I presented the first of a three-part series entitled Vision Quest 2008: Attract Success Now. The first part was absolutely wonderful! The group was very high energy and we were talking away and getting acquainted and re-acquainted with one another. There were some new faces and some old friends that have been attending my Success Principles Coaching Circle for some time. It was great to see everybody and catch up with what was going on in our lives. Eventually we did the guided meditation and I have to say that it went very very well. I was impressed with the quality of the visioning that everybody experienced. We had some awesome experiences. Thank you everybody who attended and made this a very successful event. I can't wait for next week when we will do Part II which will consist of creating goals for the seven areas of our lives and affirmations to manifest them.

Wishing everybody much health, happiness, and prosperity in 2008!

George

George Castro, LMFT is a licensed therapist and life coach in private practice. If you have questions or thoughts you can contact him at gccoaching@yahoo.com or visit him on the web at www.gccoaching.com

Christmas is Everyday

2008-01-08T23:49:00.000-08:00

I wonder if it's possible to keep that Christ-mas feeling all year long. I love the way people transform for a short period of time every year. And it's not just people who celebrate the holiday. It seems that for about a month during the year people are actually nice to one another and act like they love one another. They have the Christmas Spirit!

What if we could keep that feeling all year. Imagine...what would the world be like? Try it and see if you can keep that Spirit all year long. I try by leaving my lights up as long as possible and then I usually leave a few bits of Christ-mas out throughout the house to remind me to be kind and loving to others.

I know it can be difficult as we live in such a fast-paced world where we are on to the next holiday without even appreciating what we have in front of us. So while the stores rush to put out their Valentine's Day decorations and cards, I still am enjoying the beauty of my green tree. Christmas is over when I say it is over...ha ha.

The smell alone puts me in a good mood. I hate to throw it out and let the holiday go, but as I plan for next year and the lights I will put up and the decorations, I feel a peace come over me knowing that for one small period of time there is brotherly love and the hope that peace on earth really is possible. It renews my faith in the human race as I witness all the love that surrounds me.

Christmas is not once a year, but everyday in our hearts and in our minds. We can hold these positive thoughts and feelings of others for as long as we want.

-George

George Castro, LMFT is a licensed therapist and life coach and can be reached at gccoaching@yahoo.com or visit him on the web at http://www.gccoaching.com

What's Your Perfect Life?

2007-12-31T23:45:00.000-08:00

Well it's almost the New Year and I know some you have not thought about what you want your life to look like in 2008, and now is as good a time as any. So take a moment away from Dick Clark or Carson Daly and lets do a quick exercise in goal setting. I usually have a ritual where my wife and I sit and sip some tea or something and put together our goals for the year. I've been doing this with her for about seven years now and this year she came up with her own version of the goals we set.

Here it is and it's pretty good if I don't say so myself:

What would your perfect year look like for 2008? Write down what your perfect year would look like without censoring or editing anything. Remember this is if you had unlimited time and resources, so let your imagination dream big!

Next, what would your idea month look like? This is the place to put in those trips and things that you want to get done. Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? Who do you want to do it with? Write it down and again dream big!

Now you probably know what's coming next, and yes what does your ideal week look like? Who does the dishes? Who picks up the kids? Who cleans the house? Write down what your ideal week looks like including who does the cooking. Sounds simple right, but it is quite the task to think about how we want our life.

Lastly and this is very important as we want to focus on the now. What does your ideal day look like? From the morning to the evening. Do you get up and go to the gym? Do you eat a good breakfast before you rush to work. Do you work at home? Do you get to sleep in while your spouse takes the children to school? This is your place to start to sculpt your life the way you want it.

Now that you have your perfect life you can start to live it! What are you waiting for get out there and make some goals regarding what you want and live your life on purpose! Don't wait and end up living your life by default. You deserve the best so go get it.

Wishing you health, happiness, and much success in 2008,

George

George Castro, M.S., LMFT is a licensed marriage and family therapist and life coach. He can be reached at gccoaching@yahoo.com or on the web at www.gccoaching.com

The Courage to Change in 2008

2007-12-22T00:26:00.000-08:00

Courage to Change

Hello Everybody,

I wanted to start this new year off a little different and instead of talking about goals and what we want to accomplish for the New Year, I want to talk about courage. I think courage is a word we don’t use very often anymore. Our society has almost forgotten what it means to live courageously. I would like to suggest that courage is a vital ingredient we need to drive our motivation to accomplish our goals. It is easy to say we want whatever it is we think we want at the beginning of the new year, but I would like to pose the question do we have the courage to risk actually getting what we want? I know many people that say they want something in their lives but then do not go after it. It takes courage to actually feel the fear and then walk through it. Most of us get caught up on what could happen wrong or negatively and we become stuck in the future which is the definition for anxiety when we start to worry about the “what ifs” of tomorrow when we are still here today. Whenever this happens we have lost ourselves and are no longer truly living in the present.

There are many different types of courage but they all lead to the same step of taking a risk and maybe doing something we have never done before or doing something we have done before and don’t like doing. Maybe it is the courage to do something different and make a change in our lives. This is never easy and the fear that surrounds some of our thinking keeps us stuck in patterns that only repeat themselves. This year I would like us to clean up our thinking and become true masters of our lives. When we can do this there is nothing we can’t have or attain.

Often times we are paralyzed by our own thoughts and conditioning about things. We have limited ourselves by our own beliefs. Think about it: You can’t accomplish something you don’t think is possible. You must be able to conceive of an idea before you can go out and achieve it. Wherever the mind goes the body will follow. This is well known in sports. We visualize the shot and the body responds in sort. So how do we get rid of all the negative thinking? Well first we must find the obstacles and conditioning that are keeping us stuck. For many this may not be easy because these thoughts grow like weeds and may have been growing for a long time and have taken root in our mind and we have come to accept some of them as fact or truth.

We must be courageous like a warrior and clear them out from the roots which have taken hold of our minds. This is where the help of a coach or therapist or even a very good and honest friend can help us. We need somebody who is objective and honest to work with us to tell us what they see is stopping us. Often times it is very apparent to somebody looking in from the outside but often they will not tell us unless we ask them, and even still many will not want to hurt our feelings.

If we our courageous and honest and want to look at ourselves to make the changes we say we want then this is absolutely necessary. It may hurt our pride for a brief second but this is the false self and if we want to be powerful we must be willing to hear something we perceive as negative, but if we see it for what it truly is, a gift, then we can accept it graciously and examine it. We now can be courageous and do something to change the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors. Many times we have changed as we get older and just reexamining parts of ourselves and our thinking is enough to bring about the changes we need. We actually think differently than we did when we were in our thirties or twenties.

When we begin to own the whole of ourselves with all of our good and parts those that need work we become powerful. The more responsible we are for our own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, the more we will feel powerful. This is a concept which many miss and it is worth repeating because it is the foundation of all successful people. As we take total responsibility for everything we think, feel, and do then we understand that the world is not working against us but with us. We are no longer helpless victims who life just happens to, but we are powerful co-creators of our life with the Universe. We cannot change the world or what happens, but we can change how we respond to the world and then the world changes in response.

This is the great secret that any successful person would share with you if you could get them alone in a room and pick their brain. It is not an accident or mere good fortune that has brought them the things they want. And if it was good fortune that brought them wealth, they won’t be able to sustain it unless they learn this principle. Successful people take ownership for their lives. They own it 100%. It is theirs and nobody can take it away from them. So this year I want us to be spiritual warriors and to take an honest and thorough inventory of ourselves and ask ourselves what it is we truly want out of life and then I want us to be courageous, and remember this doesn’t mean we are not afraid, because often times we are, and I want us to walk through this fear and to take our spiritual sword and cut away from the root anything that is holding us back from attaining our goals. Just like a business we must take stock of our inventory and let go of merchandise or stock which is damaged or broken or just taking up space. We must make room for new and better merchandise. Fear of letting go can cost us dearly. Fear has often been described as False Evidence Appearing Real but I would like to give you another acronym of Face Everything and Resolve.

We were not meant to live in fear and life is very short for us to keep putting off what we say we want. There are only 52 weeks in a year and if you spend one Saturday on only half of those weekends doing something good for yourself that is only 26 days. Most won’t do even that which probably brings our number way down to like 12 or 13. Let’s make 2008 a great year. Let’s live courageously and go after the things or situations we want. We can truly have anything we want if we would only give ourselves a chance. If you would like more information about this article or how to change your life please contact: George Castro, MFT at gccoaching@yahoo.com or check out his website at www.gccoaching.com George Castro is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist as well as Life Coach who specializes in personal and professional life transitions.