A LESSON In Life's TIMING..!

In the Summer of 2003, my family and I traveled to the outskirts of St. Louis.  We have relatives who live there that we forged a special bond with when they lived three hours North of us in the suburbs of New Jersey.

In the 15 plus years since their eventual move to the Midwest, they had bought a cabin smack dab on the edge of the famous Ozark lakes. A few days after our arrival, we decided to rent a pontoon boat and head out into the well traversed waters already filled with a plethora of boats of all shapes and sizes. 

With a boat filled with over 10 enthusiastic family passengers, we set sail for an afternoon of watershed fun! Boy, did we get WAY more than we ever bargained for. (Note to SELF) Have an experienced boat navigator on board before even thinking about shimming your floating vessel out into very deep waters! 

That particular afternoon happened to have a near record setting amount of boats enjoying their weekend time of frolic filled fun! Little did we know that such a cacophony of water cruising causes Gi-normous wakes. They began to hammer our poor pontoon boat into something akin to an amusement park ride. I was at the very front of the boat catching the sun rays and amazing smells that  are conjured up during such a fortuitous day out in the middle of nature's magic. 

About an hour into our trip, I began to notice the boat starting to rock and roll as the waves began to grow into a formidable foe. As we tried to navigate the boat closer to shore to escape the constant pounding of punishing waves, I felt a very cold tingling sensation slowly creeping up my legs. I looked down to see that the front of the boat was quickly filling with water! 

I ushered my torso to get a glance of the back of the boat. Holy guacamole! It was nearly ten feet up in the air, taking many of my family members with it. Within seconds, I felt the water rising all around me as I desperately tried to climb to the back of the boat. Then the better part of my fight or flight instincts kicked in and I realized that I needed to jump out of the boat. And PRONTO! So I flipped myself over the pontoon's side rails quicker than a ferret striking back at its sneaky snake foe.  My 200 pounds of weight now having been released from the boats' bow caused the back of the fragile cruiser to drop back down into the water! 

"First one to shore, drinks are on me!" I shouted to the emotionally charged group still residing within the confines of the boat.  I , on the other hand found myself still shell shocked, wading by myself in the cold waters of the Ozark lake. 

Thankfully, we were eventually able to navigate the boat back to its home base. I was so blessed to have only a bruised leg to show from my efforts to keep our boat safely afloat. As I was washing the sand and water off my torso, I told everyone in our group to go ahead without me, because I was going to immediately start taking pontoon boat captain lessons!  LOL 


SUPERHEROES IN TRAINING TAKEAWAYS

Life is so very much about timing. It's not so much about what you do, but when you do it! Sometimes you will have to make "the jump" before you feel ready. Just as I did on the pontoon boat that day! Other times, you will be given the space to prepare before taking a leap of FAITH.

I was recently watching an episode of The Steve Harvey Show. Standing like a preacher of passion in front of this live studio audience, Steve began to give a rousing speech, “I'm going to tell you something that EVERY single successful person has to do.  Including you.  EVERY SUCCESSFUL PERSON IN THIS WORLD HAS TAKEN THE JUMP.  You have to take that gift, which comes packed away on your back, you have to jump off that cliff and pull that chord.  That gift opens up and provides the SOAR.  And if you don't use it, you are going to continue to get up everyday and just go to work.   And if you continue getting up every day going to a job that you hate,  THAT'S NOT LIVING.”   Preach Steve, PREACH!  

Steve has of course done this himself, and understands the challenges that are a natural part of the process.   His point especially fleshed out when he says, “If you want to live your life in a comfort zone, it will become your FAILURE ZONE. In order to become successful, you are going to have to become uncomfortable.  Do not sit here in fear, and let fear control your fate.  Because you won't go ANYWHERE.  I'm going to tell you something about the JUMP you need to know.  Jumping is scary.  When you first jump, your parachute is NOT going to open up right away.  I would love to tell you that it would. That when you leave your job, the parashute is not going to open right away.  It's not going to happen that way.  You are going to get some skin torn off you on the rocks during the way down.  At times it is going to feel like an uncontrollable tumble.  But let me tell you this, if you NEVER jump, your parachute will never open.  YOU WILL NEVER SOAR.  You will be safe, with your parachute still on your back.  All your skills and talents still packed away and you will never get cut up.  But if you NEVER take that jump, YOU WILL NEVER SOAR.  If you don't jump, I am going to tell you something.  You will never know. You may be the best at what you do, but you will NEVER know.  You have to jump, everybody has to take the jump.”  And I could't agree more.  One of my definitions of a SIN, is unfulfilled potential.

Steve began to cry as he spoke, the obvious experience of his own pain and challenges, and the courage it took for him to take that jump , and the sense of fulfilled purpose it brought  him was so evident without him saying a single word. Simply crying on stage said it all.  

This segment resonated with me on SO many levels that I started to tear up myself.  It has taken me over 40 years to take the jump. And I have NEVER been happier, or more fulfilled than I currently do at this moment in my life.  I have no regrets, as each and every experience I was collecting along my Hero's Journey was preparing me for this moment!  

With the precarious state of the world, with mass shootings and acts of random violence and terrorism filling our airwaves on a nearly daily basis, I have a theory.    And it is why I am so PASSIONATE about what I do as a coach and inspirational thought leader.  I truly believe, the quickest way to change the world is to help people Re-member why they are here.  As a collective consciousness WE HAVE LOST OUR PURPOSE.  And to fill the void of not taking the jump to fulfill the DESTINY that is part of our essence, we are chasing false idols, and quite frankly, have become truly lost.  From my own experience, I have learned that the ONLY thing that will permanently fulfill the longing in our hearts and souls, the void of disconnection from Spirit, is following our Divine Purpose.  That is what this blog is all about.  Inspiring all New Age Nerds to awaken and truly live their LEGACY.  Doing so is a spiritual balm that helps heal the deepest wounds and fractures in our own BEING and amongst one another.  

I know only too intimately how much a comfortable life may seem appealing.  But after a while, it leaves you with a deep feeling of unfulfilled potential. And that is when depression, anxiety, drugs, alcohol, and other self sabotaging behavior slowly start to creep into our experience.  AND it can sneak up on you if you aren't careful.  Trust me!!!

Please do not misunderstand me.  I am NOT saying everyone should up and leave their current jobs to pursue their dreams and follow their PURPOSE.  It takes vision, and a sound plan put in place first.  But at some point, it will be so critical to step up to the Edge of Life and TAKE THE JUMP toward the very reason you came here to BE!  And that, my friends, is when MIRACLES become commonplace and LOVE abounds!!    And more importantly, the moment you truly commit to your purpose, the Universe will rush in and flood your experience with anything and everything you need to survive!   Now doesn't that sound like a life truly worth living?!?

One thing I do know is that once you truly commit to a path in life, your guardian angels will swoop in to assist you in every manner possible. Just as they did by giving me the quick insight to jump off that boat before I was ready.  

BE SUPER HEROIC!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Myth Magic: STRANGER THINGS 3

Stranger Things is a story about a group of closer then close adolescent friends set in the mid 80's. They live in the unassuming town of Hawkings, Indiana, battling supernatural forces that threaten to destroy not only their beloved town, but the entire planet. While the larger stakes of total world annihilation is always looming in the engrossing narrative, it's the smaller moments of true emotional love and connection that drives this absolutely engrossing Netflix show past its recent rivals. As is profoundly represented in this love letter from an adopted father to his "SUPERHERO" daughter"


Police Chief Hopper, to Eleven (his step daughter SuperHero in a letter he wrote before his death): I know this is a difficult conversation but I care about you both very much and I know that you care about each other very much and that’s why it’s important that we set these boundaries moving forward so we can build an environment where we all feel comfortable, trusted and open to sharing our feelings. The truth is for so long I’d forgotten what those even were. I’ve been stuck in one place, in a cave you might say, a deep dark cave. And then I left some Eggos out in the woods and you came into my life. For the first time in a long time, I started to feel things again. I started to feel happy. But lately, I guess I’ve been feeling distant from you, like you’re pulling away from me or something. I miss playing board games every night, making triple decker Eggo extravaganzas at sunrise, watching westerns together before we doze off. But I know you’re getting older, growing, changing, and I guess, if I’m being really honest, that’s what scares me. I don’t want things to change. So I think maybe that’s why I came in here, to maybe try and stop that change. To turn back the clock, to make things go back to how they were. But I know that’s naïve. It’s just not how life works. It’s moving, always moving, whether you like it or not. And yeah, sometimes it’s painful. Sometimes it’s sad. And sometimes it’s surprising, happy. So you know what? Keep on growing up, kid. Don’t let me stop you. Make mistakes, learn from them and when life hurts you – because it will – remember the hurt. The hurt is good. It means you’re out of that cave. But please, if you don’t mind, for the sake of your poor old dad, keep the door open three inches.(referring to the burgeoning relationship between his adopted daughter and her new boyfriend, Mike.

From Netflix Studios:  Stranger Things Season 3

During my four decades on this planet, I have come to experience many disparate experiences. Heaps of joy, happiness, glory, enlightenment, and yes, PAIN! 
I used to sit and wonder about the "purpose of pain." There seems to be so much of it circulating the planet. And if allowed, can simultaneously numb our collective senses and cause us to "look away" from its ugly undercurrents if we choose to engage it in such a manner. Or, it can be both a magical gateway towards the strength of our collective SPIRITS and the uncovering of our ability to both forgive ourSELVES and all others. Pain assists us to melt away any notion of "separation" as we lean into the powerful notion of complete acceptance to ALL THAT IS! The Super Heroic notion that absolutely No Thing happens "to you" but rather "for you." Such a challenging conception, especially when the bills are high and the chips are low! I get it!  Trust you me, I get it!  True transparency- I have  had a long haired man knock at my door in the twilight of the evening to "discuss" a financial obligation. Never truly frightening until they call out your name from the other side of the well sealed apartment door! Just sayin'! ;0)

If we could just somehow always re-member that each and every moment of this Universal gift called life is not permanent. But rather a transitory experience that is in constant movement toward the HIGHEST GOOD FOR ALL CONCERNED. Oh how it would shift our individual perspectives from the FEAR of making mistakes, toward the understaffing that MISTAKES ARE A COMPLETE FALACY! Life is so favorably rigged in your favor. (Please read that sentence again, and again!) With the complete knowingness that we are each perfect emanations of GOD, than how could we possible make a "mistake." While "missteps" are crucial and a very important part of our growth, there is no mistaking our daily faux paus are simply learning opportunities. GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES.....  Capiche!!

Most of our pain comes from unhealed TRAUMA. Collected hurtful events in our lives that have found a resting place within our spiritual space to continue wrecking havoc in all our present moments; not to mention most of our personal relationships. The list of such events are many; the emotional absence of a parent, sexual and/or physical abuse, the scarring of emotional bullying, being forced to "play" the role of an adult figure way before that duty is usually called upon, the mocking of somehow being "different" from the collective whole (i.e. skin that shimmers in less than a bright, white hue - not to mention being gay, lesbian, or transgender) Yes, I know I need more than one hand to count the number of sovereign ships that have left my personal port due to unhealed personal trauma. I have tended to keep keep the "soul filled ships" God has sent my way far at bay. All in the hopes that they will never see the parts of me that still need healing from Love and Light that my own personal Trauma's are still fragile to the touch. 

That's why in my blog I constantly refer to PAIN as the "perfect professor." Listen, I'm not saying that confronting our traumatic suffering and the pain that is the residue of its manifestation is easy. Quite the opposite my New Age Nerds!
That's why so few of us go down that path. It takes the courage of a SOUL whose pain of NOT engaging its deep traumatic pain is greater than staying stagnant in a purgatory of constant chaos and unwanted life experiences on many levels! And the frustrating re-living of the same patterns of experiences and relationships such reticent actions produce! It seems the exact same people and places continue to "show up" like a never ending Fun House that lacks any notion of the word "fun."

Just as police Chief Hopper tried to imbue to his step daughter in Stranger Things, hiding from our PAIN IS NEVER the answer! It means you are still hesitant to trusting all the emotions that spring from this experience called Life! Which will often bring with it various forms of pain and suffering. In fact, the quicker you realize that "Pain is your Friend," the faster your suffering will disperse into the "Eternal Wisdom" of why it came. It's true purpose for being!! The Universe arrives no joy from anyone's suffering. Only in the Universal understanding that is a byproduct of your healing. The whispers of Wisdom that come from a life lived with courage and free from FEAR! So your own SOUL can expand into the birthright of its eternal birthright! Further expanding the Universe into the growth it so greatly desires. From our current 3rd Dimension into the Collective Consciousness of the 5th Dimension. 

I've said it many times and I will say it again. EVERYONE IS A SUPERHERO! Every single SPIRIT on this planet was bestowed with a unique set of Super Powers that are to be used as a loving force for good! I will NEVER stop my own personal MISSION of helping this world and every SOUL who chose to take refuge here in this Re-membrance. You are far more powerful than you currently imagine! Believe it or not, kindness, compassionate, intuition, joy, and LOVE are far more powerful than you may know! 

You have a unique, individual CALLING that only your set of Super Powers can fulfill! And this CALLING was a promise you agreed to upon manifesting into human form. One that will be needed to save this planet from the path of destruction it currently faces. This is absolutely NO JOKE! I strongly suggest you take it seriously. 

It takes a simple subscription to your local cable channel to see the cacophony of brutal fires, current hurricanes (Barry), juxtaposed with a lack of rain to grow much needed food crops, and earthquakes that threaten our very way of life! Just this week, Southern California was hammered with an earthquake that has top scientists pondering the chances of "the Big One" completely devastating the surrounding area with an ever growing possibility that surmizes the most pragmatic of Vegas Gamblers! Scary stuff indeed!

I share this information NOT to scare you. I promise! But it is meant to shaken each and everyone of you out of your collective slumber!  It's all so that you realize the important part you each play in the continued health and well being of this planet.

Too many of us have Super Powers that are lying dormant within our being. Because we have allowed our EGO to become the compass toward our sense of eternal happiness. And No Thing could be farther form the truth of what constitutes SOULFUL BLISS! Which is what every Spirit on this planet desires.

If our current political administration is oblivious to the brick wall we are heading towards (which they are) then it is up to the SuperHeroes of this planet to wake up, and shower the planet with the magnificent gifts that supercede the current greed, short term pleasures of individualistic materialism, and reframing of basic human rights and dignity for ALL that plague our very way of being! And creating Heaven on Earth! Which is the very purpose we all share! 

This evening, my prayer is that we allow the deep pain and suffering that any soul residing on this planet may find the hope and light to keep their soul afloat during this time of turmoil and deep disconnection from the Unity that is the very essence of our Collective Consciousness....

AMEN!

BE SUPER HEROIC!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Did You KNOW That You Are A Natural GENIUS..!!

TODAY'S INSPIRATIONAL “MYTHOLOGICAL MAGIC”

~~  Norma Desmond    (SUNSET BOULEVARD) 

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One of my favorite Eddie Murphy films is ‘Coming to America.’  While Murphy displayed an uncanny ability to pull off a cacophony of various characters throughout the film, it is his iconic portrayal of a poor man's lounge singer in Randy Watson that still causes me to have fits of combustable laughter just thinking of his filmed antics.  His frustrated cover performance of Whitney Houston's ‘The Greatest Love of All’ with his band “Sexual Chocolate,” to a completely uninterested crowd remains the highlight of the film for me.   Admittedly, the satirical subtext within that scene has become more profound within my spiritual sensibilities as I have grown older and wiser since the film's initial 1987 release.  Like most comedians of a GENIUS level, their art is infused with deeper meaning, and self realized constructs than mere laughs and iconic characterizations.  

In the film, Murphy plays a fictional Prince of unimaginable wealth, who seeks to find true love for WHO HE IS INSIDE; not because of his stature and position in life.  And it is the Randy Watson debacle that is just one scene that underlines the theme of the film; that being one of SELF LOVE and SELF ACCEPTANCE.  The understanding that our entire worth is encapsulated by the simple fact that we are all unique, gorgeous, brilliant emanations of Spirit. There is No Thing we have to do to prove that fact, other than simply BEING ourselves.  And then share our own distinct form of the genius within (and is our constant co-pilot) with the world.  Always and in ALWAYS!  

And yet, as simple as all this sounds, most of us have turned against ourselves and become a world of  destructive  SELF TOUGH LOVE which breeds a being of our own worst enemy.  How is it that we have become so DAMN hard on ourselves?!?  Although we were born into a realm of unimaginable creative abundance, opportunity, and unlimited possibility, most of us live our lives as though we are part of ‘The Hunger Games.’  Our emotional moments are filled with thoughts of guilt, shame, regret, lack, cracked confidence and FEAR.   We spend much more time in self judgement that self progression.  Left unchecked, this form of energy can eventually lead to depression, anxiety, and isolation of every sort.  And the cumulative effect of such thinking is causing us to play much smaller than we were ever meant to.  It's causing us to neglect our Hero's/ Heroine's Journey to cling to some illusionary form of stability, rather than exploding into the iconoclastic luminaries we came here to BE!

There are many reasons for this Paradigm shift in our sense of the SELF we choose to be rather than the SELF we truly are at our core.  Influences from friends, family, romantic relationships,  the media, and social constructs that are now built around constant competition amongst ourselves.  That's why a portion of The New Age Nerd's manifesto states we........ 

“commit daily to become ‘The Greatest Version of The Grandest Vision’ ever held of ourselves.  In this way, we worry not about being better than others, but rather BEING better than we used to be.”

Like many writers, coaches, healers, performers, I'm often susceptible to this epidemic of BEING TOO HARD ON MYSELF.  Most of us on this list are incredible sensitive and compassionate.   We feel deeply and passionately for others and often find it quite challenging in discriminating and compartmentalizing between others pain and our own. Our greatest strengths can also become our greatest weaknesses.  

So if you find that you could use some tweaking toward a greater sense of  ‘The Greatest Love of All’, here are some tips to guide your way back to being at peace and a deep knowingness of WHO YOU REALLY ARE.



SUPERHERO TIPS IN TRAINING


1.  Look at everything in your life as a BLESSON.

Karen Salmansohn coined this phrase that I think is absolutely brilliant.  In her words a BLESSON is “when you are able to view painful lessons as blessings.  In other words, a BLESSON is what happens when you see the BLESSING in the painful LESSON that your challenge taught you.”

Whether something has happened, shown up, been lost, or ended, looking at the event as a BLESSON is a wonderful way of not shifting any blame on ourselves as part of the process!  I LOVE it!

2.  Remember Your Hero's /Heroine's Journey.
Rather than espousing something new here , I thought I would use a portion from a past post that I believe perfectly encapsulates how the Hero's Journey can be one of the most powerful ways to channel our pain, challenges, and suffering into an incredible productive manner.
From the post “ A Dark KNIGHT of The Soul”  by Jeffrey Louis Martinez:

“But what absolutely struck at the core of my utter BEING was his (Joseph Campbell) explanation of what he has termed ‘The Hero's Journey’.    And how everything that life brings us is no thing short of EXACTLY what we need in order to fulfill our mission here on Earth.  Of course I had heard of the Hero's Journey during my previous travels.  But this time, I REALLY HEARD IT.  Truly understood its meaning with a ferocity of acceptance and purposeful enlightenment.  I wasn't a failure.  In fact, ‘just the opposite’,  I thought.  If I had gone through THIS much suffering and pain so far in my life, then my Hero's Journey must be pretty big.  I had always believed I was here to be a guide to assist others on their warriors path, but now, I KNEW IT.  Big difference!!


So no matter what your current situation may be, there is HOPE.  In those moments of despair, please remember that there is a PURPOSE for everything you are going through.  I PROMISE!  You are not alone.  That's what we are doing here, together.  Trying to help one another figure out why we are going through so much pain and suffering, and how we can channel it into our reason for being!”  

3.  Re-member Failure is an Illusion.

Did you know that it took Thomas Edison over 2,500 times to try and get the electric lightbulb to actually GLOW.  Imagine how emotionally gut wrenching it must have been for him to invite his group of fellow inventors in to a room time and time again, only to ‘flip’ the switch that should have illuminated the bulb before them, only to experience....  NOTHING!

However, Edison had an incredible sense of his own connection to SOURCE.  He famously told people that he never actually failed at being unable to manipulate electricity.  Instead, he reframed it by stating that every single time he flipped the switch and no light appeared, he actually succeeded at proving yet another way that electricity would not work.  Has a light gone off in your noggin about how you can reframe and/or transcend  any of your "perceived" present or future failures?! 

4.  Learn the difference between Being a Genius and HAVING A GENIUS.

This comes from a TED talk given by famous ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ author Elizabeth Gilbert.  And it has radically changed my handling of creative self judgement in a BIG WAY.    After Gilbert received a Gi-normous amount of acclaim and attention (Hello Oprah!) after the debut of her first book, she became fraught with paralyzing fear.  She has stated, “the result of which means that everywhere I go now people treat me like I'm doomed... They come up to me now all worried and they say “aren't you afraid you are never going to be able to top that?  I'm sure afraid you're going to keep writing for your whole life and you're never going to again be able to create a book for anybody in the world to care about at all, ever again?”.

She found solace from the world of Greek Myth, and the original meaning of GENIUS.  Back in that timeframe, people did  NOT believe that creativity came from human beings.  People believed creativity was this DIVINE attendant of pure Spirit that came to human beings from some distant and unknown SOURCE.  The Romans were the first to label this type of spiritual muse from the ether a GENIUS.  They live in and around us, and like a modern day UBER, available 24-7 to assist us in our creative intentions.  

I call this Infinite Intelligence; Or SOURCE energy,  Spirit.  The I AM.  As Gilbert now understands, the knowingness that she is simply the vessel through which Spirit chooses to speak takes off a lot of the pressure.  Everything is a co-creation, and the way to ensure that you receive the assistance from the Infinite Intelligence that is accessible to us all is to have deep humility.  And the BELIEF that YOU ARE WORTHY to be used as a divine vessel for your own magical muse to work through!

In one of my top 10 favorite books,  ‘Power VS Force’ by David Hawkins PH.D, he specifically states through scientific study, “Genius is by definition a style of consciousness characterized by the ability to access high attractor patterns.  It isn't a personality characteristic, nor is it something somebody “has” or “is”.  A universal characteristic of Genius is HUMILITY; after all, those in whom we recognize genius commonly disclaim it, as they've always attributed their insights to some higher influence.  For example, great musicians throughout history have stated that they didn't plan their music, but simply wrote down what they heard within their own minds.  Recognized geniuses may be rare, but genius resides IN ALL OF US!  There is no such thing as accident or coincidence in this Cosmos; and not only is EVERYTHING connected, we are all members.  Consciousness, like physicality, is a Universal quality; because genius is a product of CONSCIOUSNESS, genius is also Universal. It follows that that which is Universal is available to EACH AND EVERY PERSON!”

And for all you leaders in the New Age Nerd Community, HUMILITY is just an important ingredient to your endeavors.  Author David White, a consultant to the Fortune Top 50, declares,  “Contrary to popular folklore, it’s important to note that nice guys & gals don’t finish last. Leaders who display authentic humility have broader spheres of influence, attract better talent, engender more confidence, and earn more loyalty and respect than do those leaders who rely solely upon their chutzpa and their ability to brandish their bravado. If what you’re seeking is lasting relationships, long-term success, and a better quality of life (in and out of the workplace) then you’ll be well served to forgo the pompous acts of the arrogant, and substitute the humility and quiet confidence displayed by true leaders.”


Believe it or not, I DO NOT prepare any of my posts ahead of time.  I wake up early in the morning and do a 10 minute meditation, asking SOURCE energy to work with me and align my vibration with Infinite Intelligence.  And during the meditation, the topic for each day comes to me!!  And the FEELING that I receive from literally communing with this heavenly energy is the most magical experience of many of my days!! And please don't misconstrue my words.  I am FULLY present during this co-creation.  But I am also in full ALLOWANCE of Infinite Intelligence to flow within me as I write.  And it has become a partnership that I value like none other!

Something I have to constantly remind myself is that life does not happen to you.  But rather 
FOR you and through you.  EVERYTHING is a blessing.  It is so important to be at peace with what is. And to remember that you are a BLESSED and DIVINE creation. 

There has never been anyone like you, and there NEVER will be again.  We all matter oh so much. We are all here for a grand mission and being too hard on ourselves will only greatly reduce your ability and the time you have to share your LIGHT and LOVE with the world!

BE SUPER HEROIC!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

Why It's Time To SUIT UP as SUPERHEROES and Follow Our CALLINGS!

For the great majority of us, the path toward assuming the role of a "Lightworker" is NOT a straight, upward climb. There are certainly more zigs and zags than we ever could have imagined. Perhaps that is why so few of us answer the soulful ring that illuminates us to our Earthly Mission that often comes at the most inopportune time. After all, "comfort zones" feel so damn good, right?! And yet, our true life CALLINGS rarely come at the time of our choosing. This is not because the Universe is a trickster, playing games with our precious earthy experiences. Oh contraire mon fraire! In fact, it's actually quite the opposite. 

The Great and Grand Creator often sends us the reminder of our Earthly mission in one of two ways. The first being when we have finally succumbed to the life experiences of acquiring the "quick hits" of materialistic pleasures. The "easy button" life per se. When we finally believe we have figured out the rules to the game of Life. But these accoutrements often come with a costly price. That being the compromise of living the soulful calling of the purpose filled life we all came here to complete in earnest. We slowly start to succumb to the external successes that are all around us. Fancy cars, houses, clothes, vacations, and "bling" filled jewelry that have become a status statement of a success that only fills the EGO! Now please don't misconstrue this post's intentions. There is absolutely NO THING that should stop anyone from living an abundant life filled with the grandest visions of all this earth affords us all! But if all these "pleasures" come at the expense of completing our true life's calling, then we will forever be stuck in a vortex of accumulating "things."  A Yellow Brick Road to a materialistic "OZ" where there is NEVER enough to fill the hole in our hearts and souls. It's the EGO's way of tricking us into believing that the path to eternal happiness is by the accumulation of materialistic trinkets that will soon turn back into the very form of dust from which they were formed. 

The second delivery system comes just as our life starts to become stifling in every manner. The "jobs" that start to feel like hell bent internment camps; sucking the life from our very veins in every manner imaginable. The relationships that no longer serve us, and the dreams once carried safely within our hearts start to find another place to call home. We begin to feel that our lives have become a vortex of never ending "wrong way" posts that seem to forgo ever showing us the way back to the eternal salvation of peace, joy, and love we so desperately desire! Sound familiar?! ;0)

I have learned that life's greatest gifts often come wrapped in packaging that does not resemble anything you had planned for.  And so very often we miss the blessing that the gift came to bare.  That's why it is so crucial to live in the NOW.  For it contains the heaven sent PRESENT devised and designed just for you;  for your continued growth and understanding.  To allow you to develop the Super Heroic skill sets that will be needed in order to fulfill your own CALLING.  Too often, we stay stuck reliving the past.  Or projecting out toward the future.  And then all the gifts pass us right on by.  Please do not do that!  Your TRIBE is still waiting for you.  You came here to be THEIR SUPERHERO.  And I know you don't want to let yourself or any of them down, right?!  ;0)

Just this morning I was watching an interview with the famous crooner Michael Bolton.  He said he got his first record deal at age 16.  Yet he did not cut his first record until 10 years later!  As tough as that time period in his life came to be, he passionately espoused how much those challenges gave him the time to find his unique singing voice.  And toughened within him all the areas that would be required to stay relevant in such a competitive industry for over 50 years!

And please do not sell yourself short through the dis-ease of EXCUSITIS.  Your path may not being going exactly as you had planned.  But never lose faith in yourself or your CALLING.  The Universe has things completely rigged in your favor.  ALWAYS!  As David J. Schwartz wrote in his book The Magic of Thinking Big, "You will discover that excusitis explains the difference between the person who is going places and the fellow who is barely holding his own.  You will find that the more successful the individual, the less inclined he is to make excuses.  But the fellow who has gone nowhere and has no plans for getting anywhere always has a bookful of reason to explain why.  Persons with mediocre accomplishments are quick to explain why they haven't, why they won't, why they can't, and why they aren't."

Some of your desires will manifest themselves into your experience immediately after you declare them.  Others will take more time.  Don't try and "arm wrestle God."  You will lose every single time!  The path may be arduous or even treacherous at times.  But always re-member.  Everything happens through you and for you, not to you!  Gi-normous difference, right?!  So practice enjoying each step along the way of your Hero's Journey.  That's how to create daily joy and happiness.  And always honor the dignity of your own process.  Remain loving and patient with yourself.   It's not about the destination.  Often times it's the magical moments along the way that we cherish the most...............

SUPERHEROES IN TRAINING TAKEAWAYS

Believe it or not, I have been contributing to this blog for over three years.  And many of you may wonder what my motivation for continuing to write so many daily posts must be.  So do you truly want to know the answer to that quandary?!  I mean TRULY?!?  It's because I have a personal CALLING AND MISSION!!  And that is to awaken as many Spirits on this planet as possible!  Awaken them to their personal CALLING!!  

Because I cannot be the only person who sees a world that is sick with apathy, disconnection, emotional starvation, and spiritual confusion.  And I truly Believe with every ounce of energy within my body and soul that the most effective way in changing the vibrational consciousness on this planet is to have as many Souls as possible awaken to their CALLING!  And the ONLY way to accomplish that endeavor is to guide as many people as possible toward their Hero/Heroine's Journey!  Help them accept the fact that by following their life's MISSION, no matter what obstacles may seem to be blocking your path, that YOU ARE A SUPERHERO!!  YES, YOU!!  And you matter more than you could possibly imagine!!  And that you have unique talents and gifts the likes of which have NEVER been seen before you have wielded them in this realm!  But, you must have the courage to step out amongst the light of the masses who would rather see you fail and flail amongst the illusions that they do not yet have the courage to confront!  

But that is NOT who YOU ARE!!  You are a SUPERHERO! And no matter what your current circumstances may be, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SAY, THIS IS NOT HOW MY STORY WILL END!!  And please Re-member that you cannot make a MISTAKE!!  Mistakes do not exist in this realm.  Missteps do, but they are simply opportunities to say, I TRIED!!  So do not let that stop you from taking the first few steps toward your salvation and the CALLING that is a part of your birthright!  
Because here is a SUPERHero's ProTip.  Every single thing you desire to manifest into your life is on the OTHER SIDE OF YOUR GREATEST FEARS!!  In fact, by stepping through the ILLUSION of time and space, and facing our greatest fears and terrors, there is something called PURE BLISS on the other side!!  And the definition of Bliss is perfect happiness and eternal JOY!!  So what on earth could you possibly be waiting for!  Start your Hero's/Heroine's Journey RIGHT NOW.  There will never be a perfect  time when the stars align in perfect harmony that will act as a cue for you to start your JOURNEY!!

The world is full of SUPERHEROES, yet so few of them BELIEVE!!  Well, I do BELIEVE!!!  In fact I hold a space of KNOWINGNESS!!  Because that is my CALLING!!  And as the proverbial saying goes, The Night is The Darkest Just Before the Dawn!!  Well, the Dawn is upon us and the time is NOW for us to awaken from our collective slumber.  

And we are all to fixated on allocating our finite energy on external answers to a problem that stems from deep within our own BEING!   WE ARE THE SOLUTION!!  WE ARE THE SUPERHEROES THE WORLD HAS BEEN WAITNG FOR!  Pointing figures at one another (even our current government administration) is simply a waste of time and energy as well as a futile attempt at deflecting our own responsibility for the state of the world's current consciousness!  

As one of my own personal heroes, Wayne Dyer once said, "Life either happens to you, or YOU happen to life!"   And I think every New Age Nerd chooses to happen to life!  Am I right?!?  Please tell me I am! 

A tide of trouble seems to be at every corner of our experience that has no need to be tolerated any longer!  Because by transforming into the SUPERHEROES we have been waiting for, we have the ability to see and acknowledge those amongst us who are hurting and seeking our assistance.  Looking the other way is no longer a solution that we can accept!  By simply acknowledging those in our path with compassion and kindness, especially those who are in obvious distress and discomfort,  we can circumvent so much of what plagues our precious planet.  Don't you agree?!?

BE SUPER HEROIC!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

PERSEVERANCE Is A SUPERPOWER!!

                       BE A SPIRITUAL WARRIOR OF LOVE AND COMPASSION


As a transformational coach, I am often confronted with clients who are seeking a silver bullet to the secrets of life.  They are often incredibly frustrated with the state of their lives(that's why they are obviously seeking out coaching lol) and feel that they have tried anything and everything, yet are still not experiencing the results they so DESIRE.  And if I had the exact answer to that question, well, I would be beyond a Billionaire and received as a Luminary of such rarity that my life would probably become unmanagable!  Wouldn't ya think?!?  

But I do have a Superhero's Tip that has passed the test of time and been used by pretty much anyone who has achieved phenomenal success in their life and chosen endeavors.  And it is something so basic in nature, yet, not often easy to put into practice.  And it's called PERSEVERANCE!!  Think about it for a moment.  And be compassionately honest with yourself.  How many times have you started a project and not completed it?  Or begun a diet or new workout regime and never stuck with it?  Or even started to write or read a book and NEVER finished?  I'm guessing a lot of you can relate!  And I am by no means excluding myself in this paradigm of behavior.  Lord knows I'm not!!  In fact, did you know that 90% of people don't stick with their New Year's resolutions.  

And so what tends to end up being the aftermath of failed attempts at some form of manifesting our heartfelt DESIRES is regret, self judgement, loathing, and even developing a pattern of self sabotage through eventually quitting more times than not!  Yet it is a long held truth that the insidious outcome of FAILURE CANNOT SURVIVE PERSEVERANCE!  And it never will.  PERIOD!!

I love this quote by John D. Rockefeller, one of the most successful men who ever lived.  "I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of PERSEVERANCE.  It overcomes almost everything, even nature."  Pretty powerful declaration.  After all, I am a firm believer that success leaves a trail and there is no better path than his!

But is there a tried and trusted recipe for carrying out our goals and manifesting our desires through the Power of Perseverance?!?  I happen to know of one that I have tested time and time again throughout my life and it has created MIRACLES!  And I'm sure it will come to absolutely NO surprise to regular readers of The New Age Nerd that it comes from one of my personal Hero's Napoleon Hill......

So I thought I would lay out the exact steps for anyone who would care to put them into action:

HOW TO DEVELOP PERSEVERANCE:

1.  You must have a BURNING DESIRE that you wish to manifest into your life's experience.  It must be such an obsession that it can withstand any form of struggle or perceived failure that may try to extinguish it from you ever receiving it in tangible form.

2. You must have a developed plan to see it through to its completion.   And then begin immediately with action steps.  Don't wait for everything to line up perfectly before you begin the Journey.  This is crucial!   The Superhero's Tip here is to be flexible with the possibility of having to pivot your plans in a different direction.  The more committed you are to obtaining your desire, the more Infinite Intelligence will step in to give you bursts of inspiration and intuitive nudges that may not be completely aligned with your original plans.  STAY OPEN TO SPIRIT!!

3.  Having a mind that is tempered against ANY outside force that may try to sabotage your endeavors.  Many people would rather see you fail so that they don't feel they are playing small themselves.  And your success may very well do that.  You may even have to go so far as to let go of the individuals in your life who are trying to douse your flames of perseverance!  You can still LOVE them, but you may have to do it from 'the other side of the room.'

4. Creating a Mastermind of like minded individuals who will encourage one another to keep pushing through and following their plans with inspiration and motivation!!

Like anything in life, this is a process.  But I PROMISE YOU that if you follow this formula, in time, it will reap you whatever you DESIRE in life!!

Because at the end of the day, PATIENCE and PERSEVERANCE have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish!!  

So the next time you hit a roadblock toward a burning desire, wield the Power of Perseverance and watch your life become a BLISS filled Journey.  Just as it was always meant to be....



BE SUPER HEROIC!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez

NO THING Happens "To You".....But Rather FOR YOU..!!!

A few years ago, while taking some classes toward a leadership coaching certification, I had quite an impactful experience that I still use to help me re-frame my own ‘inner critic’.   Who needs enemies when our own MONKEY MIND insists on taunting us with thoughts of blame, guilt, regret, and self-hatred,  often with a big, heaping side order of worthlessness.  And as that day's class was soon to show me, we are truly all ONE in this experience that causes so much anxiety, depression,  and pain.  Not to mention how it blocks us from the healing LOVE we need to move forward in our lives..................

After our mid-day lunch break, our class of roughly 30 seated students were each given a stack of cards with various short phrases written on the back of each one.  We were instructed to pick the ONE card that best exemplified the way we felt about ourselves most of the time.  You have to remember this was an extrapolation of people who were all on an active path toward self growth, many of us having spent years, if not DECADES, on a quest for the specialized knowledge that would allow us to coach and train others on becoming the ‘greatest version’ of themselves.

The phrases on the cards ran the emotional scale from ‘I Am Love’ to ‘Work in Progress’.  Once we all had our card picked, we were told to stand up, and with its message facing forward, hold it in front of our chest, while we started  mingling with one another.   One by one, we stood up.  Suddenly, a raucous set of laughs started erupting from one side of the room to the other.  With over 20 different messages that each member in the group was free to choose from, ALL but two of us picked the EXACT SAME CARD.  That card read......   NOT GOOD ENOUGH !!

I will NEVER forget the divine feeling of oneness I felt in that moment.  Oh, I laughed my ass off like the rest, but my soul was shedding tears of joyful connection.  Up until that moment, I had often been afraid to admit the intensity of my own MONKEY MIND.  How controlling, suffocating,  and idea crushing it could be.   But as I looked around that room, and saw nearly everyone holding up that  card, with its illusionary message, all I could see were beings of utter perfection.  Even if THEY could not see it in themselves.  How could they not see that in themselves?!  Why could I often not see it in myself?!

Since then, I have come to understand that radical self compassion is like most everything else of  great value, a PROCESS.  Our capacity for self compassion is not unlike a muscle.  It must be trained, honed, and cared for with patience and love.  Here are 4 TIPS for practicing self compassion that have made an enormous change in helping me keep my inner critic just the way I like him,  Supah Silent :

1.  Feel your feelings, then let them GO.

When you suppress your feelings, in reality you are quelling a spiritual lesson that is trying to emerge for your highest good.  Your inner critic is going to get on stage and grab the mic(he/she LOVES attention) when something triggers you no mater how much work you've done on yourself. By allowing yourself to fully FEEL the emotions this brings up, you may just find that there is some light being shown on issues where attentive love still needs to be applied.  The key is to make sure you DO NOT make a 'broadway show' out of your feelings.  Nobody wants to buy a ticket to feelings you are holding onto that no longer serve you anymore!

2.   Meditate

When my Monkey Mind is causing me all kinds of chaos, the most powerful tool I know for calming the noise is through meditation.  If you don't currently practice meditation, NOW may be a great time to start.  There are some fantastic programs that are free online (Oprah and Deepak Chopra offer one a couple of times per year) if you don't know where to start.  By simply going within during meditation, you can reconnect with Spirit and Re-member that you are a unique emanation of God, perfect and whole in every way.  As you get better at meditative practice, you will begin to carry that FEELING of being whole and worthy out of your meditation, and INTO the rest of your day.  Just be patient with the process, my meditations are STILL a work in progress.  ;0)

3.  Realize that you are NOT your thoughts

The arch enemy of your 'inner critic' just may be the watchful observer.

When those thoughts  of worthlessness and doubt arise, try this little trick.  Close your eyes, and visualize yourself in a room, alone with JUST THE THOUGHTS that are causing you trouble.  See how you are completely SEPARATE from them in the room.  Do not judge the thoughts, or allow yourself to become anxious around them.  You are simply an OBSERVER. It may take some time to achieve this space.  Thats OK.  Simply breathe   ...one ...breathe... at a... time.

Once you are in a place of calm, address the thought/thoughts.  

“Thank you for coming.  I appreciate you shedding light on the places I still need work.

But now, please GO!  You are NOT a part of me.  And I am NOT a part of you."

You can repeat a mantra that works for you(feel free to experiment until you find something that really resonates) again and again.  Visualize these thoughts slowly evaporating back into the ether from which they came.  You may be laughing, but TRY it!  By seeing yourself as separate from the thoughts through the power of your watchful observer, their grip on your psyche is truly lessened.

4.  Choose your TRIBE carefully

The number one thing I hear from people is how they have no control over their lives.  For the most part, that is true.  We do not live in a vacuum, and many facets of our experiences are completely beyond our control.  However, ONE thing we do have complete control over is also one of the most important aspects in determining our overall joy and success in life.  

That being WHO we choose to let into our lives.  

There has been scientific evidence that proves we become the average of the five people we choose to spend the most time with on a daily basis.  We spend SO much time dealing with our own inner critic, don't ya think it would be a great idea to make sure the people we invite into our TRIBE shower us with inspiration, support, kindness, and growth filled experiences.  So when it comes to picking new TRIBE members in 2018, CHOOSE WISELY!!

I hope this helps you quiet your ‘inner critic’ and ALLOWS IN the healing love and light that is all around you.  For our experience here is but a sliver in time.  And why waste any precious moment living in self judgement or any form of Egoic energy such as FEAR, lack, separation, feeling less than, or simply playing small so you will never have to confront any form of failure.  I promise you that living your life in this manner will ultimately only bring you regret and the illusion of shame!  

So shine your LIGHT!!  Fly your Nerd Ass Freak Flag!!  Live FEARLESSLY!!  Because once you make your transition to the other side, you will Re-member that that is exactly why you came here!  And anything less than you giving away all the gifts and love that were part of your birthright is actually a very selfish way of BEING!  Because you came here to be a servant of LOVE to everyone.  And how in the hell can you be a top notch servant by protecting your talents and gifts for the fear of being rejected?!  You simply can't!!  So Bless those who are ready to receive your gifts and pray for those who are not.  Eazy peazy!!  Well, more often than not....LOL  

I want to leave you this evening with this quote from a wonderful tome called The Top Five Regrets Of The Dying by Bronnie Ware................

“People play the victim forever,” she continued. “But who are they kidding? They are only robbing themselves. Life doesn’t owe you anything. Neither does anyone else. Only you owe yourself. So the best way to make the most out of life is to appreciate the gift of it, and choose not to be a victim.” 
― Bronnie Ware, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing

BE SUPER HEROIC!

Nerdmaste,

Jeffrey Louis Martinez