When I was in my early teens, I had a dream: to play the slide trombone. It didn't matter that my arms weren't yet long enough to play the deepest note... I just loved the deep resonating sound of it and the feel of that wonderful instrument in my hands.
 
    My trombone teacher was a bold, courageous man who had escaped the dictatorship of Romania to play the trombone with the symphony orchestra. He had high expectations of his students... and I had a lot of self doubt.
 
    Every time he put a new piece on the music stand and asked me to play it, I began by saying, "I can't play this...."
 
    Finally, he got quite angry and said, "Well of course you can't right now, what do you expect? It is a brand new piece of music, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that you CAN learn this. So stop whining and start learning."
 
    I was frightened by his anger, but his words sunk in. By saying and thinking "I can't do this," I was stopping myself from learning the instrument I loved so much. I had to ask myself, "Where else in my life am I holding myself back?"
 
    When I shifted my perspective from "I can't" to "I can learn" - with the trombone, with my classes, with anything new in life - things got a lot easier. I was able to learn the musical pieces much faster, and with more joy, and even the most dreaded classes at school became a bit less daunting.
 
    The way we look at things really does shape our experience of the world around us.
 
    What belief's are shaping your world? What perspective is no longer serving you anymore? What alternative perspectives might open up new horizons for you?
 
How to Shift Your Perspective:

1. Choose an area of your life that you feel stuck in. Explore the perspective you are currently holding and get a sense of how that perspective is making you feel.
2. Imagine some other ways to look at this situation. Explore as many perspectives as you can think of.
3. From all the perspectives you can imagine, choose the one that seems most joyful and meaningful to you.
4. Identify an action that you want to take with your new outlook.

Then it's time to relax with a Mini-Retreat - perfect for busy, stressed-out people. Without taking any extra time out of your day, you can relax yourself deeply ... several times a day, if you like!
 
    Here's a simple example: Any time you have a few free moments - at a traffic light, waiting in line, sitting on hold - take the opportunity to relax.

    In less than a minute, you'll begin to feel calmer, more present, and relaxed. So easy!
 
    Even Martin, a mortgage broker and father of three, with barely a moment to spare, found ways to take Mini-Retreats on his commute and in line at the supermarket. He was relieved to know he could retreat and rejuvenate whenever he needed to, without carving time out of his schedule. And the more Mini-Retreats he took, the more relaxed and focused he felt.
 
    Research has shown that several short periods of relaxation throughout the day are better for our health than one long relaxation period. By weaving moments of relaxation into our daily lives, we improve our health, mental focus, emotional stability, and more.
 
    With Guided Mini-Retreats, you'll learn a variety of ways to stimulate deep relaxation in your mind and body - in just moments. Give them a try! You'll be glad you did.