I love this story. It's real. It's life-changing. And it's in my book, Create the Life You Crave. Dr. Blake Brown has positively impacted thousands of lives, and his story and message could change yours as well. Read on for a lesson on waking up and living mindfully, written by Dr. Blake...
After many years of practice, every day I wake up in happiness with a smile on my face. Now, it’s automatic and just happens.
I grew up in Kansas, and as a Midwesterner, I was doing everything that was expected of me. I had a basketball scholarship to the University of Michigan where I was emulating a medical path modeled by my father and grandfather, both Doctors of Osteopathy.
I quickly discovered this was not where my heart was, so I dropped it all and went into business administration. With my "yearn to learn," I also began exploring Eastern spiritual studies and Tibetan yoga as well as macrobiotic vegetarianism.
It wasn’t long before I had an amazing epiphany during a meditation. It was so profound that it completely changed my life as I got in touch with the God in me. I realized that I needed a complete paradigm shift to release my Midwest consciousness, deal with my inner self, suppress my ego, and discover my mission. I needed to find my purpose and start fulfilling that purpose in this lifetime.
I decided it was time to make energetic choices to support where I was, and that meant leaving my business career and company of 10 years as well as the big house, the nice cars, and my marriage. As I made the change, I lost 90% of my friends and family because I was threatening the mores that we had been raised under.
I set out on a path to learn as much as I could to help myself achieve the best chances to be healthy, happy and successful. I moved to California and studied acupuncture, cranial sacral, polarity, reflexology, Bach flowers remedies, homeopathy, Reike, Aston Patterning, Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais, massage and many other modalities to add to things I was already doing which included meditation, yoga and vegetarianism.
I learned a lot in a short period of time, so much so, I moved from northern California to Santa Barbara to establish my own practice to share what I had learned and what seemed to be working for me and many others. After a few very successful years, my office relocated into a chiropractic clinic and I soon learned there was more to learn. Long story short, I went to chiropractic school at the tender age of 42 and studied numerous non-force techniques that were offered outside of traditional schooling and returned to Santa Barbara to resume a holistic practice with more ammunition.
Over the 36 years I have been practicing holistic health care, I have always recognized the importance of practicing extreme self-care. I do so myself and also teach others how to follow the 6 Essentials of Life which are how we think, what we eat and drink, how we rest and sleep, breathe, and exercise.
Practicing extreme self-care is analogous to extreme skiing. You’re at the top of your game. It’s challenging. You’re out of your comfort zone, and you’re committed to honoring your truth. For me, that means personally living and experiencing extreme self-care and sharing it with thousands of others.
The biggest challenge is to be in every moment of every moment, which is a bit of what meditation is. I’ve practiced this concept for 41 years, and it’s still a huge challenge to be in the moment and be grateful. Some days are easier than others. For instance, a recent golf game got me totally out of balance within 15 minutes of picking up a club. When I found myself irritated and out of balance, I said, “Halt!” Then I brought myself back to being in the moment and seeing the good and learning the lessons of each moment.
I continually tell others: practice, practice, practice. And that helps me follow the 6 Essentials of Life. Here’s how I do it:
I wake up every morning thankful for waking up. I think and feel happiness with a smile on my face. Then I spend 20 minutes practicing yoga, doing sit ups, and lifting weights followed by 20 minutes of meditation where I listen to the silence, my breath and verbalizations to self (expressions of gratitude for relationships with Roelanda, my family, friends, master mind group, staff, financial freedom and life style of passionate living that includes spiritual awareness, good food, good wine, sports and travel).
Prior to each meditation, I do what is called the “mPower March” where I assume a certain stance and S T R E T C H, holding that stance for 10 seconds on each side while thinking positive thoughts. I repeat this process three times, twice a day minimum. After meditating, I walk at a fast pace for three miles through my neighborhood while I reflect on a daily affirmation.
Affirmations guide my days. On “Good Thoughts Monday” I focus on the positive from morning til night. For “Appreciation Tuesday” I appreciate all that there is and that I have on all levels. On “Good Deeds Wednesday” I focus on small acts of kindness such as buying lunch for someone I don’t know and yielding to other drivers and giving up my seat to another. “Thank You Thursday” provides an opportunity to make more eye contact with others as I thank them for their words or actions and give thanks repeatedly throughout the day for everything. “Good Feelings Friday” is a day to express more love and happiness and fill up with good feelings. “Lighten Up Saturday” is a fun-filled, easy and effortless day, and “All Good Sunday” is an opportunity to look at goodness of the past week and the week to come.
I carry those affirmations through my day, whether at work or play. I could have retired 15 years ago, but still love to help others unlock their potential, so I continue to work 12 hours per week and teach seminars and do lectures. My office is just minutes from where I live, and I have a fantastic staff supporting me so that I can devote all of my attention to patients and to teaching others how to do this work.
Each day I make sure my body stays alkaline by eating 2-3 pieces of fruit, and a green barley product for breakfast. At lunch I juice carrots and enjoy a sprouts, tomato and avocado sandwich on sprouted grain bread, along with my vice, some white and yellow corn chips. Dinner is usually at home and includes vegetables over millet, rice, pasta or a baked potato. All food is organic and most is locally grown and purchased at one of the daily farmer’s markets.
While my diet is primarily lacto-ovo vegetarian (raw milk and cheeses, poultry, vegetables and whole grains), I do eat other foods on occasion, especially while traveling in France where I’ll always enjoy Duck Confit and in Holland where I eat paling, smoked eel.
I am heavily into sports still, record all the Kansas basketball games, and watch at a time that is convenient.
I believe every thought we think is either health enhancing or disease producing. As I see it, the health care of the future will treat the whole person, body, mind and spirit and deal at the level of cause and prevention and offer more from a coaching perspective. This is what the work I do now is all about; to make it less necessary for the body to express in sickness, disease and dis-ease.
The 6 Essentials of Health are how I practice extreme self-care. It’s a choice, an ever-processing phenomenon, and an opportunity to be in every moment of every moment and see the good in it, learn the lessons and be forgiving.
~ Blake Thomas Brown, D.C.
www.wix.com/drbtbr/dr-browns-wellness-center
Want to read other inspiring stories of transformation and commitment by women and men who have radically shifted priorities, unleashed authenticity, and embraced the practice of extreme self-care? Click here to Create the Life You Crave.
Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst
