Category Archives: Blog

Personal & Spiritual Growth

Here is a list of a few concepts from a new book about personal growth and spiritual process that I plan to publish 1n 2023, which covers some of what I teach in numerous workshops and share in my Life Coaching. As the book nears publication, I will post the information here and on my social media pages.

• The seven elements of essence
• Respond rather than react
• Influence rather than control
• Unconditional compassion rather than unconditional love
• We use 90% of our brain to keep us believing we only use 10%
• Embrace rather than comprehend
• Service rather than self-serve
• Understanding rather than judgment
• Embracing our essence rather than following our enculturation
• Lifestyle versus career
• Friendship rather than isolation
• Natural rather than normal
• Power rather than force
• Curiosity rather than fear
• Depth rather than shallow
• Understanding core beliefs rather than simply patterns
• Change rather than resistance
• Listening rather than talking
• Flexibility rather than rigidity
• Imagination rather than willpower
• Open-minded rather than dogma
• Living rather than dying
• Performance rather than trauma/drama
• Embracing rather than surrendering
• Optimism rather than pessimism
• Reverence for life rather than irreverence
• Responsibility rather than avoidance
• Essence rather than ego and personality
• Support rather than dominance
• Planning rather than worry
• Creativity rather than stagnation
• Transcend rather than circumvent

 

Seven Elements of Essence

The Seven Elements of Essence telephone sessions guide you in embracing a compassionate, passionate, and fulfilling life of being your true nature and embracing your life paths. Learn what elements activate your deepest and highest energy and direction. Handle circumstances and situations with greater certainty and ease.

I completed my development of the Seven Elements of Essence after my first visit to the Vietnam Wall Memorial in 1989. I continue to apply these concepts in my coaching. Below is a brief description.

  1. Unconditional Compassion provides insight into others and yourself without a preconceived belief system.
  2. Nonjudgmental offers you the opportunity to experience moments in your life without attachments.
  3. Non-self-importance gives you meaning and purpose for simply being your natural self rather than doing what you learned with enculturation.
  4. Vulnerability creates bridges rather than castles with drawbridges and moats.
  5. Patience promotes space and time to reflect.
  6. Presence allows you the means to use your combined intellect and intuition.
  7. Curiosity brings an objective perspective balanced with a creative imagination to resolve issues. Einstein said, “I have no special talents….I am only passionately curious.”

Applying one or more of these elements, provide powerful tools to dramatically change your life. If you can think of life changes that you desire, these Seven Elements of Essence can help you create wonderful opportunities.

Understand the value of establishing and maintaining balance, influencing instead of controlling, trusting your intuition, responding rather than reacting, controlling and more.

After your personalized Life Coaching session about the Seven Elements of Essence, you will have a deeper understanding of how to embrace personal growth, purpose, spiritual awareness and your authentic self.

To register for the session, fill out the Contact Information form on my Contact Stephen page.

So Show Me!

I decided to post a paper on my blog that I wrote for my high school Freshman English class assignment in Southern California, along with the teacher’s personal comments. We were asked to write a paper during the class that described who we thought we were. Essentially, the paper was to be an autobiography.

After some serious reflection, I wrote my one line response and relaxed for the duration of the class feeling that I was thoughtfully succinct and that there was no need to share more. The teacher, felt differently. The next day in class she handed back the paper with her comments in red.

Over the years, I have shared the content of this paper as a Counselor, Hypnotherapist, and Life Coach in discussions about self-esteem, vulnerability, authenticity, judgment, compassion, and personal growth.

We are enculturated with parenting, education, training, reading, social media, and life experiences. It is easy to become ‘other directed’ rather than inner guided. When we are other directed by peer pressure, fears, and judgments from others we lose touch with our authentic self. With inner guidance, we can embrace our spiritual essence.

Did the comments have a personal impact on me? At the time, I figured that she just didn’t get what I was trying to say and shrugged it off. But then, I have kept it all of these years initially as a statement ― and then as a teaching tool. 🙂

Below is a scanned copy of the front and back of the paper with her comments.

english paper1

english 2

New Blog Component

For many years, I have had an established Life and Business Coaching website called, Embracing the Muse. What I noticed was missing and many of my visitors requested was a blog component. Therefore, I recently revised it into this combination blog and website.

While I am revising this Embracing the Muse site, I encourage you to visit often as I add new Life and Business Coaching information frequently in the site’s new and existing pages.

This is the first of numerous posts about Life and Business Coaching and living life to its fullest. Each of my weekly (sometimes daily) blogs offer you guidance and support in embracing life’s circumstances and situations. You do not need to be one of my clients to take advantage of this helpful information that is based upon my 40+ years of professional service.