For the past several months – thanks to a conversation with my dear friend and mentor Andy Bryce – I’ve been doing a lot of work with INTENTION and EXPECTATION.

My Intention is to be as present as possible with what IS… AND, I’ve been discovering that, very often, my ability to be present is hampered by my Expectation. (Being the “recovering perfectionist” that I am, I’m REALLY good at focusing on what ISN’T!)

All of this has come into even sharper focus as I get ever closer to realizing my BHAG (pronounced “b-hag”) for this year: to walk the Camino de Santiago in September and October. I have a HUGE Expectation of that being a life-altering experience for me… AND, the whole point of making that trek is to be as present as possible in every step of it, whatEVER unfolds!

Expectation, of course, is intimately connected to BEDROCK – old ways of thinking and being that are so ingrained in us that we think they’re insurmountable. (I spoke about BHAGS and BEDROCK in last month’s newsletter.) My Bedrock is that I’m not worthy – not good enough.

Interestingly, as I mentally and emotionally prepare (via books and videos) for the Camino – a powerful 800 km exercise in being present – I am becoming more present in all aspects of my life. I am getting better at living my Intention, as well as getting better at forgiving myself when I get caught in my Expectation.

These are early days – years of Bedrock doesn’t crumble and disappear overnight! – AND, on a couple of occasions, when I’ve been able to live my Intention – to really be present – the sweetness of that FAR surpassed any Expectation I have. YES, YAY and AMEN to more of that!

I know that I’m onto something juicy when I start to notice it showing up in my life in all kinds of ways. Case in point: Shawn Soucy, one of my closest friends and musical pals (he’s a terrific drummer), mentioned to me on several occasions (ALWAYS with love) that when I make music with him, I “rush” (I play a little faster than I should), and make it a little challenging for him to keep the music at a set tempo. Once I was able to get past my Bedrock (thinking that I wasn’t a good enough musician), I was able to see his comments as an invitation to be more present in the music I make – to NOT rush forward with it, but to relax more deeply into it. (My time keeping is already improving. :-))

So – with Gratitude, Faith, and Simplicity (my words for 2019), I say YES to my INTENTION (being as present as possible with what IS), rather than my EXPECTATION (which pulls me out of the present and into what ISN’T)!

In honour of INTENTION and EXPECTATION, I offer you some of my music; may it serve you well.

Be Still (a song from my CD “Little By Little” – an invitation to be present);
Here And Now (a song from my CD “Little By Little”, about the power of the ONLY moment there truly is – the present moment);
Ho’oponopono (a NEW RECORDING of a chant, co-written with my dear friend Becca Palm, that celebrates the power of forgiveness and letting go of Expectation);
A WholeHearted Life (a song from my CD “YES”, that reminds us that we ARE worthy and we ARE enough).
(You can listen to my songs and chants here.)
(You can find the words to my songs and chants here.)
(You can buy my CDs here.)

Along with meditation and journaling, here are tools that I use daily to help foster Intention and impede Expection:
1) Tapping / using EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) as I
2) Recite (or sing) “Ho’oponopono“, the mantra at the heart of the ancient Hawaiian practice of forgiveness (“I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Thank you.”), and then
3) Reclaim the power of I AM by affirming “I AM one with Source. I AM worthy and I AM Enough”.

How about YOU, *|FNAME|*? What’s most resonating in YOU this month? What’s YOUR Intention? What’s YOUR Expectation? WHEREVER you are on your journey, I’d love to hear from you. Please e-mail me; we’re all in this together, and we have much to learn from each other. (BIG THANKS to all of the kind souls who respond to my newsletters; reading your comments is always a highlight of my month.)

APPRECIATION

Every Monday on my Facebook business page, I post messages of gratitude.
Please have a look, join the conversation, and SHARE the posts with your friends. 

UPCOMING AND ONGOING EVENTS

– PERFORMANCES

(For the most up-to-date information, please click on any date in my online calendar)

– VIDEOS

May I be of service to you and your organization or community with my words and music?
My KEYNOTE CONCERT presentation can be seen here, and my PERFORMANCE VIDEOS, including my LATEST ONE (“Learn, Share, Grow and Belong”) can be seen here.

– MUSIC

My very dear friend and song co-writer Becca Palm has created “Community Songs”, a songbook/CD package of 23 songs which includes 4 chants that she and I co-wrote (“Ho-oponopono”, “Listen”, “Small Steps” and “Turning Within”). To get your copy, please click here. (You can also listen to and/or download the songs here.)

As a very dear and wise friend in Montreal once said to me, “All I can offer you is my experience”.

My sincere desire, in every one of my newsletters, is to encourage us all to live our Big Lives one Small Step at a time.

Much love to you, dear Friend. May you say YES to your INTENTION, rather than to your EXPECTATION, with Gratitude, Faith and Simplicity, and may you go with LOVE.

– Nathen