Why Collaboration Wins!

Why Collaboration Wins!

College football season is almost over… hard to believe huh?!  How’d your team do? 

The Wolverines had a pretty terrible year… but now we’ve got coach Harbaugh so GO BLUE!  All you Buckeye fans, I’m sorry, I had to say it…

For the past 8 years whenever I’m in Ohio I always hear, “You went to Michigan?!  Ugh that’s awful!”   

Or I’d be in Michigan and hear, “You’re from Columbus Ohio?!  I hate that place!” 

You see, I grew up in Buckeye land but became a Wolverine, which means I get crapped on from both sides.  If I’m in Ohio everyone hates my Michigan gear, if I’m in Michigan I can never mention I’m from Ohio.  Not the best! 

Why is any of this relevant?  Well, it got me thinking about the word “competition” and how it plays out in our lives.

Is it possible to be competitive and collaborative?  Could Brutus ever snuggle up to a Wolverine?  What if we could all compete as one?  That would be pretty cool huh?! 

 Yeah it would!  And I’ll show you how in this first episode of Kip TV (ahhh the first episode… sorry I got excited)!  

Check it out, you’ll never think about competition in the same way… 

Competition has been woven into the fabric of our existence. 

Ed Macauley once said, "When you are not practicing, remember, someone somewhere is practicing, and when you meet him he will win." 

True!  And so often we’re taught that competiveness=strength.  That we should only be looking out for own interests.  That it’s a win lose game and there’s only one winner.

Hmmm... The problem is that’s its not just friendly rivalries where we get competitive (nothing friendly about game day).  Sometimes we end up pushing away the people who could be our biggest allies by trying to beat them. 

We create a space of separation instead of collaboration.  If there is one thing I’ve learned it’s this… we MUST rely on each other to change our lives and the lives of people around us instead of pushing them away with our competitive nature. 

Now don’t get me wrong, competition can serve you.  

So where does that leave us? I want to reframe the word "competition.”  Think of it like this... 

You are your only competition.  

That's it, simple.  The only one you're trying to make better is you, the only one you're trying to beat is you.  You can't move forward by looking sideways.  Take a look at the things that have been beating you up in the "locker room" and see how you can take them out.   

So here's my challenge for that competitor inside:

1.  What 3 things are beating you up?

2.  How can you train it out of you? 

Remember, you are your only competition.  It's time to face that competitor and collaborate with other people to help you out!  

Sound good?  Write your response in the comments below because I’d love to hear from you.  And here’s an extra challenge: if you’re a Michigan fan share this with an OSU fan, if you’re a OSU fan share this with a Michigan fan… let’s see how that goes!  

As always, live in love and spread your light.

Much love,

Alex

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How To Make Fear Your Compass

How To Make Fear Your Compass

I have to know… Do you experience fear right when you're starting something new?  Is it just me?  

I’ve been going on a lot of new adventures and there’s one emotion that keeps popping up… FEAR!  Stupid freakin' fear go away!!! 

These were just a handful of my recent fears- Any of them sound familiar?

• Finishing up the SoulFeed podcast = “Ahhhh will Marianne Williamson really come on for an interview? (Yes, she did!) "

• Moving THIS weekend = “Ahhh!!!!!!!! (NYC people get it)”

• Signing with my first manager =  “Ahhh is now the right time!?"

• Successfully pulling off my first seminar= “Ahhh did people learn enough?"

• Developing this Kip TV video you’re about to watch below= “Ahhh will you watch?”

Blah, blah, blah, the list and fears go on!  So what fears are coming up for you?  Cause let me tell you, I’ve learned something really important…  fear should be our compass.  

I found out this past weekend at my seminar (which went great, that’s right stupid fears) that we ALL experience FEAR when we’re going on new adventures. In fact, that was the common theme that came up for everyone. 

And of course we do, why wouldn’t we?   Doing something new is scary.   There’s really two choices when you feel fear…

No OR Go.

So how do you GO when your brain is telling you NO?! 

Here’s a little secret- if you’re feeling fear about something then you’re on the right track!  Unless you’re being dragged into a basement cellar by a realtor you don’t know, then you can run (and yes, that happened to me)...  

Otherwise, get comfortably being uncomfortable, because fear is your compass letting you know you’re heading in the right direction.  Soon you’ll find comfort in that uncomfortable situation and you can move on to the next.  Then you’ll look back and wonder why you even felt that uncomforted to begin with. 

Your fear only disappears by taking action! 

Your dreams are important and I would hate to see fear get in the way.  After all, it’s mostly FalseEvidenceAppearingReal.  So again, check out the free video on how to take one step towards your new adventure.

I’m dying to know…

1. What are three things that cause you fear?

2. What’s the worst that could happen?

3. How can you take one step today towards your fear

As always, write your answers in the comments below! 

Once you own it you’ll see just how false that fear is.  Go ahead and share this with anyone you know heading on a new adventure this year… their fears will probably hate you for it (oh well)! 

Live light,

Thanks for listening!

If you dug this episode, please share with your tribe (highlight to share).

AND - please leave an honest review for SoulFeed on iTunes!  Ratings and reviews are super helpful. 

As always, live in love and spread your light!

Kindness Cards Challenge

Kindness Cards Challenge

I have a challenge for you, a dare.

No, it's not hard. No, it doesn't cost money. And no, you don't have to know me to do it.

It will take you five minutes at most. A random act of kindness for a stranger. I dare you to write a #kindnesscard to a complete stranger.

What's a #kindnesscard? Well, I don't really know why I'm calling it that, but hey it sounds trendy, and more importantly, is incredibly impactful!

While speaking at the UnitedHealthcare conference in San Antonio, Texas, I challenged 350 audience members with this very same task. I think they were just as confused as you and I honestly had no idea if my challenge would work or not. 

Before I spoke to a crowd full of providers and big wigs about the patient experience, I made sure every audience member had a blank yellow card in front of them. 

This was either going to be an epic failure or a giant success. 

I blazed through my presentation speaking about the importance of treating patients like human beings instead of numbers on a chart or images on a computer screen.

These are real people experiencing real loss, hurt, and emotions. I asked, "How can we help shine light in their darkness? How can we save someone from drowning?"

This was my solution, cards, rooted in my own survival story... 

A little over two years ago, I was in one of the darkest storms of my life. I was about to start a stem cell transplant for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and no matter how well I tried to steer myself into positivity, the night was approaching fast and my light was fading. It felt like my ship had sunk and I was trying to stay above water with my mere strength. Then out of nowhere my raft appeared, slowly bringing me safely to shore. My raft came in the form of cards.

Right before starting my stem cell transplant, my high school theatre teacher came into my room with a rolling suitcase packed to the brim. "What are you doing here?!" I asked excitedly. She was on a mission. Without hesitation she placed the suitcase on my lap, opened it, and poured cards all over me! 

"Surprise!" my younger sister yelled.  The cards drowned every inch of my body.  Clearly, I had no idea what was going on. As if on cue, a mailman entered the room with two post office boxes filled to the brim with more cards.

"It's the 1,000 card marathon," she squealed. I still had no idea what was going on. Turns out, my sister had organized a "1,000 Card Marathon" without me knowing it... shocking because she never gets anything by me. She got my friends from across the country, my local high school, college, her sorority, aunts, uncles, everyone, and anyone to send cards. And by everyone, I really mean anyone who knew about my struggle.

In fact, most of the cards were from complete strangers! They had no idea who I was but they sent a card anyways. As the days went on, the cards kept coming in... one by one they added up until I had over 1,600 cards dispersed throughout my room. The storm had lifted... the night had passed.

There was nothing but light and love bouncing off the walls of my transplant room. My ship had been dismantled but these cards provided the foundation of a new raft to bring me to shore.

Fast forward to last week and now I'm sharing this very same story to game changers in the health industry and challenging them to write a card. Would it work? I had no idea. I waited patiently in the back after my speech, ready to leave in embarrassment if no one approached me with a card.

To my surprise, I was once again flooded with cards, but this time we built someone else's raft. Little did I know that the person who needed these most was at the same very conference I was speaking at. To be honest, I didn't know who these cards were going to go to when I started this idea. I assumed I would just send them to my local hospital.

Then, after collecting over a hundred cards, a man from the audience came up to me and told me about a very special woman at the conference going through her own battle with cancer. He told me her story and said that she had found incredible strength and motivation after seeing me up there. BAM! 

"These cards are for her!" I shouted! They had found their home in the very place they were birthed. His face lit up.

Immediately, we organized a mandatory staff dinner to surprise her with the cards. She had no idea what was coming and I had no idea how impactful the simple #kindnesscards would be... you can see the surprise video here:

I realized once again the potential of random acts of kindness from complete strangers. Knowing that a group of strangers built her raft to take her to shore is something that can't be put into words. Another night illuminated, if only for a moment, that will ripple on into someone else's darkness.

Your Challenge: (I dare you to pick one of the options...)

1. Make an impact: Write your card in the comments below and I'll make one for you...

2. Make a bigger impact: (#1) + Make a card, take a picture of it with the hashtag #kindnesscards and tweet it to me @alexkip... 

3. Make the biggest impact: (#1 & #2) + Send your card to a local hospital or deliver it in person...

Whatever option you choose, you will make a difference. What ideas do you have? How do you shine light on others?  I would love to hear in the comments below.  

As always, live in love and spread your light. 

Much love, 

Alex

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How To Live Your Light...

How To Live Your Light...

Quick question... Are you living your light?

Not your life, but your light? I know we're all living our life, but I'm talking about that spark inside that ignites you with passion and purpose! That's your light.

Everyone is born with their own inner light. Yet as I've been coaching many people, I find that so many of us are disconnected from that thing that really lights up our relationships, careers, health, and life. 

In a world where we're constantly pushing happiness over the horizon, our views of what success means is often skewed. Pretty soon our batteries to our inner flashlight start to wear out. Then, all at once we can't seem to turn on the switch again. It's easy to lose your light, I know from experience...I struggled for a while trying to find that thing that lights me up.

I had some pretty dark night. After losing my voice, surviving cancer, and then regaining it all I was left pretty confused about where I wanted to go. This last year it finally clicked... and that's simply to spread light through mass media so others can find their light! Click here to see what I mean...

It took me a while to step out and really speak my voice again, the voice that had been silenced for so long. I've learned that once we make our lives about helping others our fears start to dissipate.

Truly, your biggest dimmer is fear! And it takes a lot to work past these fears... 

Has your light been dimmed? Here's some quick questions to ask yourself. Answer these in the comments below because there's power in voicing them:

1. What lit you up as a kid? 

2. When and where do you feel most alive?

3. When are where do you feel extinguished? 

4. How can you light your spark again? 

These are all clues pointing back to your inner light. Once we start exploring again, we can finally start to let go of some of those fears that are holding us back. Then we can start living our light.

Now help spread the light by sharing with your friends and family. Would love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Freeing Your Inner Critic

Freeing Your Inner Critic

Here we go again! Oh great, part two... Did anyone even read part one?

Hey Spike! Nice to hear you again.

By now you may be slightly confused about what the hell is going on. If you are, please refer back to my last blog "The Roommate in Your Head."

Too lazy to click on the link? No worries, here's a quick recap. This is a good reminder for everyone...

Essentially, there's a roommate in your head (the inner critic). He/she is there chatting, doing its thing, and we've got to get rid of it. It's time for them to move out. The first ways to realize the roommate is not us. If you're hearing that voice, then it can't be you, you are just observing. Then give it a name... Hence, Spike. That's what I decided to name mine... What did you name yours? If you haven't yet, please do so now... I'll wait...

Oh man, no one's gonna do that, you really think people are going to give me a name...

Spike, I'm back.

No, no, not "I'm back" again. Let me talk to you for a little longer...

Spike, I'm back.

Now you might be even more confused... What the hell is going on? Well, this was my promise to you from my first blog... A way out.

You always hear, "Live in the present moment!" Okay, great! But how? Self-awareness without solutions is useless! So, we're going to break free from that inner roommate and find silence in the present.

Ok, so let's dive in... This exercise comes from Josh Pais and his program "Committed Impulse." I've never taken the course but I've gotten a lot of insight from his free offerings which you should definitely check out. I'm going to tweak it a bit to bring an extra level of awareness.

Present Moment Instructions:

1. The roommate starts chattering.

2. Notice that it's there, observe it. Get ready to give your voice a command.

3. Stop it by using this formula:

Hi (insert roommate name), I'm back.

(Now engage your senses:)

4. Take in a deep breath. A long inhale and a long exhale.

5. Look around. Try to notice something new. Is there a picture you've never seen? Are colors jumping out at you?

6. Take in the scent of your environment. What does it smell like?

7. Repeat.

Ah that doesn't work! Come on!

Spike,

No, no, no, come on!

I'm back.

So does it work? I have to tell you from first-hand experience that it does. In fact, that voice will try to convince you that it doesn't because it wants to keep you safe. That's the egos job, to keep us safe, make up things about the future that aren't real and to comment on the past in order to make "sense of life."

Why? Because it can be scary living in the present moment. When you're living from moment to moment, you're not quite sure what's going to happen next. But see, that's the whole point, because we can never be sure what's going to happen. 

You could be riding your bike and BOOM get hit by a car. You know why that happened? Probably because you were so caught up listening to the voice in your head and didn't notice the car was suddenly turning. 

By trying to predict the future and control the outcome, you're leaving yourself powerless - unable to see what's really in front of you, oblivious to the true possibilities that are awaiting you.

So there you go, a way back to the present moment. 

Prescription for the week:

1. Concentrate on this exercise every day for the next week. Set an alarm on your phone multiple times during the day with the title "I'm back." This will force you to remember. The hardest part is developing an awareness around this exercise.

2. Go through the "I'm back" cycle as many times as you need to, whenever you hear the voice.

3. Don't be shocked at how often you're coming back, it's normal.

4. Don't let that inner roommate convince you that this is stupid. It wants you to think it's stupid in the beginning, trust me. Bye. Once you do this enough, the voice will start to slow down and you'll say "I'm back" less and less. Be excited for that day.

5. As the weeks progress, you'll do the exercise less and less because you'll be aware of it more and more. The voice will start to fade but it will always be there, so this practice never really goes away, it just gets easier. Consider it a walking mindfulness meditation exercise.

6. Enjoy your new freedom and life!

So welcome back, my friends! Are you feeling a new sense of freedom? I know I have, but I would love to hear from you first hand in the comments below. Help spread the word so we can all experience freedom, even if it's just a passing moment. Let's come back.

Hmmm, that was actually pretty good...

Thanks Spike, I'm back.

Let me know in the comments how it worked for you.

As always, live in love and spread your light.

Much love,

Alex

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The 'Roommate' in Your Head

The 'Roommate' in Your Head

Here we go again, another blog! No one cares! Give it a rest, bro, you don't even like doing these. Who are you writing for? Stop writing! 

The chatter stops, momentarily. 

Ugh, see! You're got nothing. Just close the computer. Go to bed...

Sound familiar? Well, it should. Because we all have it... that inner voice of doom. That who? Well, stop reading right now and just take a listen. Is your mind talking to you? Pause for a second and wait... "Ah it is!" Don't be scared, it's normal... maybe you've never even listened to it before, but it's there. That voice that's constantly chattering. In his book The Untethered Soul, Michael Singer likes to call it the "roommate" (get this book!).

"You mean someone's living in my head? That's only people who are in psych wards!" Well, I hate to say it, but yes, it's there... and don't worry it's there for everyone, you're not crazy and you're not asylum ready (I hope). And sadly, there's no way to turn it off. It's just there... So how do we break free from this voice? Well, good question.

First, we have to realize who this voice even is. Before we get started, let's take a deeper look into this roommate concept. Anyone who's gone to college likely has or knows someone with a horrendous roommatepairing. I actually had great roommates in college, but when I was in the hospital, it was a different story. I had four crazy roommates. Here's a little taste of my favorite roommate...

Have you ever stopped to wonder who that roommate is? Or is it talking so much that you've never been able to ponder the question. Is it you? Well, let's take my roommate... guy comes into my room uninvited, completely ruins my days, and puts me in danger. Clearly this guy is not someone I want to be around. And obviously he's not me, just some person barging into my life.If you can hear the roommate, is it you?

No. Well, what do you mean? Of course it is, it's in my head. Well, yes, but you're hearing it, right? When your friends talk to you, do you think that's you talking? Of course not, that sounds ridiculous. You're just observing your friend talking. Right! You see the contradiction?

If you can hear the voice, then there's no way it's you, because you're simply observing... this is a little meta I'll admit, but stick with me... it really makes sense if you break it down. So then who is it? Good question... basically, it's just your subconscious mind, something you picked up from your past, or things you're picking up from the energy field around you.

Think of it like a playlist on your iPhone that is on constant repeat. Yes, you can put it on shuffle, but there are only five or six songs loaded and they keep playing over and over again. Worse yet, all the songs sounds like the top hits from a Korn album (I used to be a fan).

Research shows that 70 percent of the time you're hearing negative feedback.You see what I'm getting at? When we think that this inner voice is us, all we're hearing is negative things over and over again on repeat, then suddenly we think we're a worthless person incapable of achieving anything. Not only that, but when this voice runs our life, we're not even living in this world. Again, a little meta... but if you're constantly listening to the chatter, how can you listen to anything in the present moment? It's impossible, because your mind is trapped in a different world. 

You experience it all the time, think about the last conversation you had with someone. Was there a moment where they drifted off into another world and you could tell they weren't listening anymore? What happened? Well, the little voice started chattering and they got caught up and started listening, immediately detaching from the present moment.

So this voice not only makes us think negatively about everything including ourselves but also takes us out of the present moment which is really the only moment that exists.

We have to learn to detach.

There are two ways to do this:

1. Become aware of the voice! 

Give it a name. From this day forward I'll name mine Spike, I don't know, that seems appropriate. Now, you can call it out when it starts calling you in. 

2. Learn to observe the voice and not associate with it. 

"Oh hey, Spike, I see you're back. What interesting things are you going to say today?" And just watch it. This, my friends, is true freedom -- breaking the shackles that chain us, not becoming a slave to the mind anymore. Opening the latch to the outside world so we can climb out of the sewer and see what's on the other side. Then take a walk around and enjoy the real world, one free of sewage that you can truly experience. Sounds easy? Of course not! That's why it's such a problem.

In my next blog, I'll give you an actual exercise where you can learn to detach from this voice in an instants notice.

Stay tuned for more...Did this resonate for you at all? Is your voice pissed reading this? It probably will be because it wants to keep you safe... I'd love to hear what the voice is coming up with? Leave a comment below...

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Deepak Chopra's "Future of God" pt. 3

"Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future." -- Robert H. Schuller

Okay so now we've expanded our awareness and explored meditation, great! But why? What's the point of all this? The point is to create a life worth living. Once you've opened up the doorway to your soul, creation will start flowing through you. You've started to break down the walls that trapped your being; limitations that have kept you from living out of your highest potential are starting to be erased. You're finally wiping away the dust on the mirror to see what's truly there. Now the fun begins!

Who doesn't want to create a life of love and passion where we're able to follow our bliss and achieve things we've always wanted and desired? Ah desire... such a tricky word in a spiritual context. Buddha would suggest that desire is the cause of all suffering. And that's a valid argument... I know it's certainly true in my own life. "I want to be in a Broadway show, I want to star in a film, I want to be a series regular on the TV show... Damnit, why isn't it happening yet!?" When our desires don't come true it's easy to get depressed, lose sight of our goal, and then quit. But perhaps there's a way to still have desires without suffering. Perhaps there's a way to trust a higher consciousness and know that you will be provided for. In our world it's next impossible not to have desires, unless you're a monk, but even monks have the desire to have no desires... It's tricky huh?

Take a look at Deepak, the very same guy who was teaching us all about mindfulness. Does he not have desires? Of course not! I would not have been sitting in the audience listening to a man doing a public television taping about the "Future of God" if he didn't have any desires. It took years of training, exploration, engagement, strategy, and luck to get to where he is. He had to have desires to get to where he is now, truth be told, he is a business. So then how does one of the most prolific thought leaders justify his desires? Does he avoid suffering?

Well, I was about to find out as Deepak began Act Three of the "Future of God..." a new recipe for prayer.

Side note: Oh no, the "prayer" word... I know what you're thinking: prayers don't work. That's for religious people. What a waste of time! Well what does prayer even mean? According to the dictionary, it is, "An earnest hope or wish." So if you read 'prayer' and different connotations come to mind, think of 'prayer' as a hope or a wish. You see, we're always praying. Whether or not we're praying to a higher source is irrelevant because we all have hopes and wishes, some that are consciously called forth and some that are unconsciously spilling out of you.

Recipe: Prayer.

Ingredients:

1. Stillness of Mind.
2. Focused Awareness.
3. Letting Go.

Preparation Time: Years

When praying for something, ask yourself these three questions... How deep in the mind is my intention? How steady is my intention? How willing am I to let go of my intention?

Cook Time: Always

Directions:

1. Stillness of Mind (covered mainly in part 2):

If you don't have a still mind, you can't know what you really want. How could you if your thoughts are all over the place? We have to be able to focus in on one desire. That's why meditation is so important, because it trains your mind to be still. As you become more and more still, your true desires, or what you're praying for, becomes clear. If you don't know what you want, then you're not going to get it.

2. Focus awareness:

Desire doesn't conflict. If you know what you want, then you're not going to feel conflict inside of yourself anymore. You know what you're after and now you just have to focus on getting it. Too often we lose sight of our goal and we don't follow through... trust me, I'm notorious for this. I'm always starting new projects that don't get finished. Perhaps that's because I didn't really know what I was focusing on. Sometimes it takes dabbling and experimenting in all kinds of different things to really figure out what you're going after. Also, I'm intensely curious about so many things... and that's great... but it often leads to unproductive multitasking.

I'll let you in on a little secret. Multitasking is a myth- it doesn't work! We are not meant to multitask; the reptilian part of your brain is simply incapable of doing it effectively. So every time you focus on something and then your mind goes to something else, you're losing the power of intention, the power of your prayers.

One tool that's really helped me focus is Neil Fiore's book "The Now Habit." You can actually download and get free instructions about how to schedule your time here.

Aside from just focusing in the short term, are you multitasking in the long term? Meaning, are you trying to achieve a million different things in a million different industries? Or are you starting here, starting there, and never getting anywhere? I know myself it's hard to stay focused on one desire, especially when it doesn't seem to be coming true. That's the hardest part about focusing awareness, keeping at it even when it doesn't seem to be happening. Again, this is where desires are thought to produce suffering. You can want something for so long and if it doesn't come true, we slowly give up and it leads us into a depressive state. As Ross Perot says, "Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one-yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game one foot from a winning touchdown." What if you're one yard away? Or what if you're on the wrong field? Maybe it's not your decision... maybe you can still desire but be free of suffering.

But why are prayers (hopes/desires) often linked to suffering? Well, because a lot of times prayers are not answered like they're supposed to be! "Supposed to be" however is something we've made up. Sometimes we don't know what we really want, and that's why expanding your awareness and opening the door to your true intentions is so important if we're to really know what we're asking for. We think we know, but it's just our thoughts about who we think we are (ego) instead of who we really are (inner being). So keep cooking!

Ready In: Who knows...

3. Letting Go.

Yes, your focus has to be steady, but it also has to be fluid. It seems like a contradiction, I know. But you have to accept things as they are, while believing in the wisdom of uncertainty. Our suffering comes from not letting go! We don't know what we don't know. Point being, what are you really after with your desire? Does it have to be so specific? Perhaps your prayers are being answered but your tunnel vision prevents you from seeing other possibilities that are coming into your life.

In my own life, massive amounts of suffering have been produced by not getting cast in certain acting gigs that I wanted. But what am I really after? Hmm... well, I'm trying to use my talents as a performer, as a storyteller, and as a communicator to inspire others. So that's my true prayer. And suddenly, as if by magic, I've been asked to do all these speaking gigs and to coach people even though I wasn't asking for that directly. Though it may not be the specific vehicle that I was trying to drive, it's still taking me down the same road of my prayer. This alleviates suffering because I trust that my prayers, the deeper desire found in the stillness of my mind, will be answered. Of course I'm still working hard, setting goals, trying not to get distracted, and challenging myself; but I'm also open to new possibilities.

So could it be that your prayers are coming true? Could it be that you're being asked to drive a different vehicle but still heading down the same road? Making our desires come true takes work, but it doesn't have to produce suffering if we can trust in the unknown.

Your challenge:

• Write out your goals in life. 
• Go deeper and uncover what's truly underneath the goal.
• Set out to accomplish your goal with focus and clarity. 
• Let go of the "specific" intention and be open to receiving what's really underneath your goal.

So, what ingredient above do you find yourself running out of in the kitchen? I'd love to hear in the comments because if you can identify it, then you can take steps to make sure you have enough of it. And even better, we can keep each other accountable. Once you're honest with yourself, you'll be self-aware of where you need to level up... which leads to the last blog in this series of the "Future of God": self-awareness. Leave a comment! Stay tuned!

Much love,
Alex

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Deepak Chopra's "Future of God" pt. 2

"... The kingdom of God is in the midst of you." -Luke 17:21

*Disclaimer: This is part two of my four part series "Deepak Chopra's 'Future of God."' Click here for part one. And again, when you read the word "God" think whatever makes sense to you whether that be the universe, soul, cosmic consciousness, etc... Deepak had no religious preference in this talk, purely how to connect to our higher consciousness (whatever you may call that).

I have to admit after Deepak had spoken about cosmic consciousness, the big bang theory, and how we're all made out of stars, my mind was left trying to comprehend it all. Right now, maybe it's a little beyond comprehension. Luckily, I had some time to mull it over while the cameras stopped rolling. Deepak was about to begin Act 2 of his public televison special, "The Future of God," and he seemed to be gathering his thoughts with the rest of us.

Now that you've had some time to gather your thoughts from my last blog, "Deepak Chopra's 'Future of God,'" I'll settle you in with a quick recap: Everything has a single source, that source is your innermost being and when your awareness is free it's not hard to find. For the most part, our awareness is blocked by past traumas, experiences, hurts, and our mental models of the world. Now we can start breaking through these blocks in four easy ways...

1. Expanding awareness (Part 1)

2. Meditation (Today's blog)

3. Prayer (Next blog...)

4. Self-awareness (Coming soon...)

Alright, the shows about to begin... "Three, two, one...". The teleprompter comes alive as Deepak starts Act 2. "Do you want to know how to connect back to God?" He asks. Of course! That's why we're all here for... Well, his first action item was somewhat surprising...

Meditation... a subtle step to finding our way back to our inner source (God).

Now that we've developed an awareness that this inner source is within us, it's time to access it. We've now reached the door where we have the potential to experience that connection to God by exadning our awareness. So how do we open it?

By meditating. Duh, you just said that! The reason it bears repeating is because so many people don't actually take the time to develop a practice. So many people know,Oh yeah, right, mediation, but then never do it. I think a lot of this comes from being scared of not doing it the right way. I get it, I truly do. My own meditation practice started almost a year ago and in the beginning, I was always overwhelmed with doing it the right way (perfectionist flaw). However, I've come to understand that there is no right or wrong way to meditate. Many different practices exist and you will find the one that resonates most with you. The most important thing is to just start one, because your practice will deepen and clarify as you move through it. As Deepak describes it, finding your inner being is a subtle experience, not a religious one. It takes practice and time to develop. Why do we work out our body in the gym but not our minds? You want an amazing physique? It's not going to happen overnight! You have to get in the gym and start sweating! The mind is no different. It's just another muscle that needs love and attention. So take that fear away and just get started...

In fact, just by coincidence, Deepak and Oprah are offering a free 21 Day meditation challenge so you can really dive deep with Deepak (like the pun?)...

Sorry, but there's no more excuses! Yeah, but meditating sounds like hippie dippy BS... Well, let's take a closer look into the science of meditation before we explore the spiritual aspects. Some remarkable studies are showing that meditation can not only change our genetic expression but can also have incredible impact on our physiological state as well.

Wait... so we improve heart disease, osteoporosis, sleep problems, digestive problems, depression, obesity, memory impairment, and skin conditions just by meditating? Yep! But there's an even deeper reason for meditating... the spiritual connection you will feel. Every experience goes through the brain, so when you improve your brain through meditation, you're able to open the door to a higher consciousness. You're able to connect back to your inner being. You're able to slowly break down some of the blocks preventing you from reaching a higher state. We're all born into this world with a sense of spiritual balance, but we lose it as we go through life (our blocks, remember). Meditation is a way to practice getting the balance back by opening up new neural pathways in the brain for positive input to be put in. Deepak described it as cleaning the dust off a dusty mirror -- that mirror being your brain and how you experience the world.

I like to think of meditation in musical terms. Whenever I start, it's as if I'm at a rave party in New York City... blaring lights, dubstep drops, treble piercing my ear drums, bass rumbling my joints... Then suddenly, silence. I've dropped into a white room where time and space don't exist, free from the madness that lurks in the club.

When you drop into that space, that's when you feel the cosmic connection that Deepak describes. You are one with the universe because you are connected back to the source, your inner being. You can sense the entire world inside your body because we are all connected and now you've finally connected back. The high you get from the lights and music (or however else you get it) at a rave will never come close to that feeling, and even if it did, it's not something that you can consciously command. Wouldn't you want to have access to that feeling at a moment's notice? Then begin the journey... Start practicing.

The more you do it, the quicker you drop in, and the longer you will keep that feeling throughout your day.

So now Deepak's gone through the first two cycles of connecting back to our source. One - Expanding Awareness. Two - Meditation.

In my next blog (part three), we'll discover a new formula for prayer and how it relates to everything we've uncovered thus far. Now go dust of your mirror and let me know in the comments who you find staring back at you...

Much love,
Alex

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Deepak Chopra's "Future of God"

Deepak Chopra's "Future of God"

"Here he comes, here he comes..." the collective thought hovered in the air as hundreds of spiritual seekers filled the Marble Collegiate Church in NYC. We were all about to witness history, one of the greatest spiritual thinkers of our day was about to unpack The Future of God for the world to see. The Future of God... wow, heavy title. What would we discover? What does that even mean? Well, we were about to learn from Deepak Chopra.

Deepak who? Never heard of him? Deepak is the author of eighty books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers in both the fiction and nonfiction categories. Time magazine heralds Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credits him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine." So yeah, pretty epic! Basically one of his major missions is teaching us all how to connect back to God. Great! But why do we need to be taught this at all? Because we've put up blocks that make it next to impossible to experience God. Chopra was about to unleash the formula to find the source again...

*Side note, let me tell you, I'm always been a little skeptical. I've always wondered what these "enlightened" people are like in real life. Do they really practice what they preach? It was time to find out...

"Here he comes, here he comes." Taping for the public television special (airing Thanksgiving weekend) was about to begin. Deepak takes the stage and immediately starts testing the microphone, seeming a little uncomfortable in front of a crowd full of people... seems pretty human to me. I was expecting a grand entrance with a sphere of radiant light bursting from his body that would blind us all! Nope, just a regular man who kept fidgeting with his tie. What would his first words be?

Finally, he spoke in a very soft voice, "I normally don't raise my voice. So please excuse the theatrics that you are about to witness, but this is show business. Also, please excuse the tie..." Laughter erupts from the church pews, he is human after all! He immediately won me over, because he hides nothing, he just is. He doesn't try to be enlightening, he just is. The cameras start rolling and Deepak begins the theatrics of the night... The Future of God.

*Another side note: realize that Deepak does not advocate any form of religion over another, instead he speaks about the fundamental truths of all religions which is love (God). There can be many negative connotations surrounding the word God because of what organized religion has done to the word. So when you read 'God', think about whatever makes sense to you, whether that be the universe, soul, cosmic consciousness, etc. It doesn't really matter. At the end of the day, this is about fundamental truths of spirituality supported by science, Deepak's specialty.

Without ruining the special that'll be airing for PBS, I'm going to give you a little sneak peek of what's to come and what The Future of God entails for all of us. In some ways this talk could be entitled The Future of You, because in the end, Deepak lays out the road to connect back with God, and it's through first uncovering the inner you. He lays out the framework for connecting back to God in four easy ways:

1. Expanding awareness

2. Meditation

3. Prayer

4. Self-awareness

So, I've decided to do a blog on each of these points (the next three coming soon). First up, expanding awareness...

To begin, the most important thing I got from this taping was a phrase he kept repeating over and over that I'll paraphrase:

Everything has a single source. That source is your innermost being and when your awareness is free, God is not hard to find.

Huh? A little confusing, I'll admit, but let's break it down so we can understand this; thereby, expanding our awareness of how God is within us...

Everything has a single source: 
The brilliant thing about Deepak is how he blends science with spirituality. He's able to prove the existence of God through not only spiritual terms but also scientific terms. With the dawn of metaphysics, scientists now see that there is a godlike manifestation of the universe. Everything started with the Big Bang and we're all connected to it. Everything in the known universe is made up of atoms, different combinations of atoms coming together to form "physical reality." But if you look at atoms through a microscope you'll find there's nothing there, a phantom image, it's just empty space. Kind of weird to think about, but really everything you're looking at or seeing is all one thing at the end of the day. Science has proven that we are made up of the same cosmic dust as stars, we're interstellar dust. In other words, we all come from the same source, everything is one and everything is connected. We're like the offspring of the universe's dust bunnies, woven into the fabric of existence.

That source is your innermost being: 
So, that source that you're made up of, i.e. star dust, atoms, etc. is inside you! 
Source (Universe/God) = Your Inner being.

They are unterchangable because they come from the same place, we're the offspring of the universe (God); thus, whatever is true of the universe is also true of us. A little heavy, I know, but try and stay with me. The source of the universe is also your source. So God is a part of you, inside of you, because you're connected to that source, you have to be because you come from it.

"You are not just a drop in the ocean, you are a mighty ocean in the drop." -Rumi.

And when your awareness is free, God is not hard to find: 
Deepak illustrates that once you're able to connect back to your inner being then it's impossible not to feel a connection to God. After all, you're already connected because you come from it...

Sweet! So then why do we have so much trouble experiencing our inner being or God? Again, it's because we put up blocks.

We've put up blocks that keep us from accessing our inner being. Our inner being is being suffocated by our past traumas, our neuroses, our fears, our doubts, and our mental models of the world. It would be like popping popcorn (inner being) but always keeping the lid (blocks) over the pot... The popcorn just keeps popping but it's never enjoyed. Does anyone still make popcorn that way? It's my roommate's specialty... Sorry, getting distracted, we were talking about really important stuff...

It's time to wake up to who we are, because there's infinite potential inside all of us... How do we do that?! Well, you just started the journey. You've now expanded your awareness (understanding where you come from) from one of the greatest minds of our generation, bringing scientific proof to the existence of God and existence of God within ourselves...

So to experience The Future of God, you must first experience The Future of You. You're standing at the doorway. In my next blog, we'll discover how to open the door through mediation from Deepak himself... Will you open it? I'd love to hear in the comments! 

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"It All Fades Away..."

"It All Fades Away..."

Do you ever find yourself randomly singing a song? Well, as a singer I do it all the time. But there's always this weird thing that happens, when I stop to think about the lyrics of whatever song popped in my head, it's always a reflection of something going on in my life. I've recently been humming, "It all fades away," beautifully sung by Steven Pasquale in The Bridges of Madison County. When this show hit Broadway, it's as if every single moment was leading to this one statement; this glorious crescendo that left an entire theatre speechless including me. Why? Well, duh, I mean, no one sings like Steven (skip to 2:50 above and you'll see)... but, it's more than that. It's the truth behind this statement, "It all fades away..."

I was just with a good friend who's starring in Cinderella on Broadway and we randomly started talking about how there is no such thing as job security anymore. Actually, that's a lie; we first started ranting about how hard it is for actors to make it these days, even when "you've made it." Then we tried to justify this by saying, "Well, there is no such thing as job security anymore, so screw it!" Which is actually not so far off base. For my generation, we're not going to enter the workforce expecting to retire at age 65 after working for the same company for over 25 years. My Mom did that, or does that, and she's not going anywhere anytime soon. She's put in her time and will reap the benefits (literally). And if that's what you're expecting nowadays... then, well, good luck. Granted, there are varying levels of job security these days but even the recent law graduates have seen a 10% drop in employment rates, making it hard for them to find jobs. I mean look at the cast of Bridges... now what? One day the marquee lit up the streets of New York City, the next day the lights went dark Hopefully, this cast can move on to the next show because they're all incredibly talented!

So where does that leave us? Everything that we've accumulated in the external world eventually fades away... great! Well, the whole point of this song is the last part of that phrase... "It all fades away BUT YOU." Maybe I was a little misleading in not adding the "but you." Here's the bridge to the Bridges song...

There is one thing that's eternal/That cannot be torn apart/There is one thing that remains forever true/Past the thinking, past the breathing/Past the beating of my heart/It will all fade away but you/It all fades away, it all fades away/It all fades away but you.

The one thing that doesn't fade away is love... and dare I say love for yourself?

What if that 'you' in the lyrics literally meant you? Your inner self? Now in context of the show, of course he's singing about the love of his life... but even she faded away because he couldn't hold on to her. Eventually, she was only a memory and the only thing he's left with by the end is himself.

Do you love yourself? Seriously, do you? 

Kind of a heavy question and you may even feel completely narcissistic in asking it... but if you don't, what will you be left with?

The only control we have over this external world is our inner love. A deep inner love that isn't dependent on the world's circus act. We're constantly trying to walk across this tightrope of life towards some goal on the other side. What happens when someone unexpectedly cuts your tight rope? Or maybe you've reached your goal! Great, then what? I hate to say it, but eventually it... well you know... fades away. Who are you then? The same person you were before all of that...

And if we don't know who that is, then we're in trouble. A lot of us are constantly distracting ourselves away from that inner self. Trust me, I'm guilty of this beyond a shadow of a doubt. I live in New York for God's sakes... the city that's on a hundred mile treadmill... you just keep running, everyday trying to increase the speed, trying to make it to another mile. It's quite heroic actually... the American way. And I love that workout, feeling the sweat of hard work and resilience run down my body. But every once in awhile I'll look around and see the pain of working out on everyone's face... you know what I'm talking about, sort of like we're all holding in a fart that really hurts. And you begin to think, "Man, all this work looks painful." Why are we doing this again? I'm slowly learning to turn off the machine every once in a while before it runs me to the ground. Sometimes I feel guilty taking time to shut it off, sitting back in the souls lounge chair as everyone else keeps increasing the speed... but in the end, all that sweat fades away.

Let's take some time to exercise our well-being. Learning to love ourselves should be one of the highest priorities of all because it's the only way to truly love others. Then maybe we'll find one thing in this world that doesn't fade away...

As always, live in love and spread your light

Much love,

Alex

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Chasing the Future

Chasing the Future

Ambition... what a commendable trait! To see someone racing towards their dreams with every fiber of their being -- full throttle ahead! You're driving a hundred miles down the freeway, speeding by everyone in your way. The faster you drive, the faster you'll reach your destination! Suddenly your car comes to a grinding halt. You can't get it started again. You're stuck. What's going on?! You're forced to stop, or rather your car has forced you to stop, and instantly you notice the highway for the first time.

The road of life has been eluding you. You've been driving at such a high-gear that you didn't even have time to enjoy the trip. What started out as an adventurous road trip turned into a high-speed pursuit of some unforeseen destination. You can't even remember why you were driving there in the first place. And now with your gas tank on empty and no gas station in sight, what happens next? For me, that's when I finally found some clarity... right at about the time my car stopped and my ambitions had to take a back seat.

Oddly, it was one of the most profound moments in my life. I used to say the weirdest things when I was going through treatments like, "I know this is going to be the best thing that ever happened to me!"

"WTF are you talking about?!" I would often hear from my friends.

"There is no future, there is no past, I live this moment as my lasssssssst,"
I would jokingly try to sing. Being a musical theater nerd, these lyrics from Rent were a language my friends spoke, and this time they didn't sound so cliché. When you're forced to pull over, you have to take in your surroundings and focus on the now! I had glossed over those lyrics a thousand times, never understanding its true meaning... until finding that it had turned into my creed.

When I lost my singing voice at the hands of deadly cancer cells, unable to sing such songs, I constantly affirmed, "let me sing again" day after day. I finally know what all these lyrics are saying now! I get it! Let me sing again. Yet, with a paralyzed vocal cord the odds were slim... much like my chances of getting my car with an empty tank to start again. Thankfully, the mechanics were able to fix me, my radio even started working again, and eventually I was singing along to my favorite stations.

But as my life with cancer fades in the rear view mirror, maybe I don't want to leave it all behind. I have to move on. I know that, and I am. I've been blessed to drive away. "So let's go!" shouts that side of me with ambitions ready to be unleashed.

And again I find myself strapping in and pressing my lead foot against the pedal. My driving now is like a high-speed chase where the lessons I've learned along the way are the patrol cars behind me telling me to, "Slow down!" More often than not, I find myself needing to be pulled over, fortunately ending up with more warnings than tickets.

So, as I continue driving into the future, I inevitably start to get frustrated again. Where am I trying to go on this road trip? Yes, I can sing again. Woo hoo! So why am I frustrated? I got what I wanted... isn't that good enough? Of course it is, but not when I start speeding past everything that really matters again.

Just being able to sing isn't good enough. I want to sound perfect now ... Am I really thinking this? Am I not going to live in the "now" as I promised myself not too long ago? A professional athlete doesn't just step on to the field and throw a no hitter after being on the sidelines for two years. Why do I expect to be any different? Should the pitcher put away his glove? Of course not, but he should have realistic expectations of what rehabilitation is going to entail.

Ambition is great when it keeps the player out there on the field, but it's not so great when it takes you away from the present moment. The problem with constantly letting your ambition drive you into the future is that you don't know what the future holds. None of us do. So what's the point of driving a hundred miles towards the future? Can we instead embrace the journey we're on, trusting that we will eventually reach our destination? Think of all the sights you just drove past and missed because you were so focused and worried about reaching this unforeseen future!

Feeling good today and taking in what each day has to offer -- maybe this is what matters most. Not tomorrow. Not four weeks from now. Today! I realize now that I was happy during my treatments because I only had to worry about the present moment. I found my presence in the present instead of chasing the unforeseen. After all, when my time does come to an end at some point, what will matter? Having lived a life that I loved or one that my ambition chased to no end? You know the answer better than I... it's just getting harder to remember though, huh? 

Have you found yourself running out of gas? Or forgotten about living in the present because you're too busy chasing the future? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Much love,
Alex

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Our Super Powers

Our Super Powers

"We the People still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity!"

After hearing President Obama's voice ignite the inauguration ceremony last month, his wisdom shot through me like a flush of saline. Images of Obama transported me to one of my last singing performances before I lost everything.

In late April of 2010, I was graduating from the University of Michigan and our Musical Theater Department class had been selected to sing for the commencement ceremony, which included President Obama as guest speaker! I don't think any of us realized the monumental reality of that moment. We were about to perform in front of 90,000 people in one of the biggest stadiums in the world, the "Big House," right in the presence of President Obama. We were super heroes! My rendition was perfect much like Beyonce's, because I didn't sing a note. I couldn't. I had lost my voice to cancer. So what happens when you lose everything?

My name is Alex Kip, and I'm glad you're meeting me now, as the 25-year-old survivor with a new lease on life. Back then, I was 22 years old on the brink of graduating from one of the top musical theater programs in the nation, when I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I'm destined for Broadway, look at my pecs, leading men watch out... no joke, that's how I used to think. But how could I not? I had it all. Over 600 students apply to get in the coveted program, and from that group, only 22 to 24 students are accepted... let the Hunger Games begin! When I slaughtered my competition and was one of 10 boys accepted from the hundreds who auditioned, I knew that I had a gift. I thought I was Superman, and my super power was my singing voice. Until, that is, the kryptonite lodged itself into my body and I saw my power quickly vanish.

Suddenly, Superman was falling from the sky, landing on earth as a mere human without any powers. What would become of me? How could I fly again? At first, the loss of my voice was beyond devastating... the very singers that filled my ears with life became tormenting reminders of my loss. Music became depressing, painful even. Beautiful melodies haunted my reality. But I had a choice... to learn how to fly again or to keep crawling in my pain. Who would emerge from the rubble?

Learning a new song isn't easy... my voice had defined my life for so long that I lost perspective on the most basic yet most meaningful truths in life...like loving others and even learning to love yourself. I couldn't count on my talent to define who I was any longer; instead, my character became what mattered most. I was no longer expected to be the perfect singer, performer, and actor... I was expected to just be me. Only when I lost my voice did I realize I had been blessed with a gift... that we are all born with special gifts, and when we fail to realize them, our gifts are wasted. What good is Superman if he just flies past everyone in need? My character offstage needed work, and despite my gravelly voice, I knew that I couldn't remain silent.

So without a voice, I started to use my talents and training as a way to serve others and help the cause. First, by organizing a concert to benefit Livestrong, then by riding 100 miles in Pelotonia for cancer research, later becoming their master of ceremonies, and then writing my first play My Other Voice about my journey. I dealt with the pain by diving into it. I couldn't stay quiet after becoming involved with organizations likeStupid Cancer where I learned that the survival rate for young adults has not improved at the same rate as other age groups. Or that the cancer incidence among young adults has increased more than any other age group, becoming the number one disease killer for Generation Why. By helping others I was healing myself. I was finding a new voice for life, not one muffled by practice room walls. I wrote a new character, the person I wanted to become. Now in complete remission, after being told I had a 15-30% chance of removing the kryptonite, I understand what Obama meant by our obligations to other people. That love should rule our lives, that yes, we are all born with talents, and they should serve others rather than our own egos. So I'm taking flight this summer by staging the world premiere of My Other Voice at theArthur Miller Theater in Ann Arbor this August!

My hope is to be a voice for the young adult movement, and when I promised to make my gifts about others, another miracle happened despite what the doctors predicted... my singing voice came back! So yes, I'm singing. But to a new song. I know now that my gifts can help others and that's the only reason to sing.We all have a voice no matter how small.

So how about you? How can you use your powers for good? Leave a comment below!

Much love,
Alex

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