I met Cynthia Morgan in 2008. I was writing a piece for a magazine about how it’s possible to change your life, simply by changing your mind. Cynthia was (and still is) an in-demand hypnotherapist, with clients traveling from around the US to seek her expertise.
I distinctly remember standing outside a busy sidewalk cafe, looking forward to hearing an expert’s point of view, all the while finding a few quotes to illustrate my story, alongside those of motivational speaker and author Jack Canfield. What I didn’t know, is that Cynthia and I would spend a good two hours locked in conversation and still be friends years later.
Cynthia Morgan, who regularly holds workshops in Los Angeles, has much to say on finding the beauty in life, and helps her clients discover theirs on a daily basis. So, it was only natural that I’d invite Cynthia to be a regular spiritual columnist for EcoBeautyEditor.com.
One of my favorite articles written by Cynthia is the 12 Keys to Life. I keep a copy of them by my desk. I hope you find each of the keys as helpful and as inspiring as I did.
12 Keys to a Beautiful Life by Cynthia Morgan
1. Do not be guided by fear.
There is nothing more detrimental than making decisions out of fear.
2. Seek not to be loved, but to be loving.
My clients are generally single men and women in their thirties and forties. And most of them are unhappy. The rest of my clients are in relationships, and guess what? They’re unhappy too. So who’s happy? Well, I know a few and their happiness has nothing to do with a partner or lack thereof. We have been programmed to believe that if we just find the right partner our problems will be solved. But I’m sorry to say it is an illusion. Sure, you can be fulfilled with a partner but you can also be fulfilled without one. What you seek is within. Everyday my prayer is the same: Help me become more loving. Let go of the need to be loved and seek instead to be loving. Only then will you find true fulfillment.
3. Pick a spiritual path.
And stick to it. All of our problems would disappear if we committed to daily spiritual practice. Truth is simple. You can read about this in an earlier post.
4. Read great writers.
Studying people who are smarter than us is crucial because there is nothing more important than realizing we may not be right. Here are some books I like.
5. Listen to music.
Crank up one good song a day. Start with this video of Unity by Trevor Hall featuring Matisyahu. I just saw his show the other night. He glows.
6. See a hypnotherapist.
Release your past. Clean yourself up. And don’t spend a ton of time and money trying to do it. Hypnotherapists can help you do that. The best way to find one is through referral. E-mail me if you can’t locate a good hypnotherapist and I will be happy to help you. Check out these interesting statistics on my website.
7. Surround yourself with people who can teach you.
This is easy and the pay-off is huge. Wise people push you. They hold you accountable. They don’t necessarily coddle you, they elevate you. There’s a reason a lot of enlightened people have gurus. Every smart person had a teacher.
8. Give away what you don’t need.
Good feng shui and good karma. Your house is a reflection of your mind.
9. Maintain integrity.
Your self-respect is all you’ve got. Treasure it.
10. Become vegan.
Becoming vegan is like volunteering. That’s how I see it. There seems to be a sacrifice involved but it’s really a gift that comes back to you a hundred-fold. I have not experienced a single choice that has had such beautiful and far-reaching effects, not only into the world but in my own life as well. Start small.
11. Don’t procrastinate.
The world awaits your gifts. We need your vision, your talent, your perspective, your ideas. I guarantee you, depression is inevitable if you don’t apply yourself. Reread number 1.
12. Be of service.
Adopt a pet, or a child. Volunteer. If there is no love or joy in your life it can only be because you are not giving love or joy.
All of these keys have one thing in common: they are challenging. In this world of complacency and complicity, we have gotten lazy. And it shows. I understand the huge pull towards indolence, I fight it on a daily basis, but it is a battle that must be fought. It is only through challenging ourselves that we heal, that the world become a better place, and that we achieve greater things. If not you, who? You are the who we are waiting for.
I’d love to hear your keys to life.
See Cynthia Morgan’s website here
Eco Beauty Editor
May 24, 2011 at 2:43 pmThanks for sharing Mandy! Me too. Besides becoming vegan, I’ve found that one of the most freeing things to do is to give away what you don’t need. Next on the list is to a adopt a pet! x
Mandy
May 24, 2011 at 2:00 pmWhat a fantastic list! I couldn’t agree with it more. Over the last couple of years I’ve adopted most of these ‘keys’ into my life, particularly: going vegan, adopting a pet, finding a spiritual path, giving away what I don’t need… ok most of them!
Thanks for reminding us of what makes life beautiful!
Mandy x
amoderngirlslife.blogspot.com
http://www.veganera.com