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10-08-2009, 12:02 PM
| #121 (permalink) |
| Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Belgium
Posts: 80
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Hi everyone, I'm Daan! And I love you all! But you should know that by now  Want to hear some immense and unexpected breakthroughs? I'm one of those who experienced a number of them in very different areas in my life. This was undoubtedly the best weekend of my life. I think it was me who mentioned to Steve that meeting 40 attendees before the workshop itself was worth the price already. Being around so many conscious people at the same time was an unforgettable experience on it's own. But it was nothing compared to what was about to come. Every day just got better and better and by the start of day 3 I was running out of words to describe how incredible I was feeling. I had to start asking other people to teach me new words on how express my feelings verbally. It was truly copacetic. (Thanks Thea!) In the end, I stopped trying. It was just ..... Some of the amazing shifts I have experienced: - I have a selective food neophobia, which means that I'm terrified of trying out new foods. For example, I've never eaten a tomato or even cheese. If I did, I would think I'd throw up immediately. So I avoid those experiences. I took me a while to apply truth to this situation, but I finally did half a year ago. Since then I did some new stuff, but very sporadically. However, in the past 4-5 days I've tried over 20 new different foods, including avocado (ok-ish), vegan chicken nuggets (not so ok), soy chicken (even if just by accident - it was really good though), pickled ginger (special taste, but nice), a spring roll (unexpectedly ok), edamame (soy beans, very unexpectedly nice), red, green and yellow peppers (acquired taste? ) and even sushi (ok, need to try it more). I didn't like everything, which is something the people that were around me at those times can confirm (I tend to make some pretty unusual faces when I try new foods, because the flavors are completely new to me) but, the result is not the most important thing, it's the effort matters. One of the greatest lessons I internalized in the past few days. I would have never, ever tried these foods if I haven't hadn't gone to workshop. But much, much credit also goes to the wonderful and beautiful people I got to hang out with. Thanks to them I went to vegan/raw food restaurants on three separate occasions and for the first time ever in 27 years I went to an Indian, an Italian and a Chinese restaurant. I have been avoiding sush places my whole life. Every time I went in, I was scared, but I did not resist. I allowed myself to go outside my comfort zone and expectations were shattered every time.- I've been addicted to cannabis for the past seven years. I used to smoke weed practically every single day. Thanks to Steve's blog and book, I managed to complete a 31 day trials of not smoking weed about four or five months ago, which was the longest period in maybe a decade. I also blogged about this period extensively, sharing my experiences with and offering help and tips to people who are in a similar situation. But after the 31 days, I went back and smoked some again. Which I blogged about too. What followed was a couple of months were I would not smoke for two weeks, then I smoked some again, then I quit for a few weeks, etc... I somehow didn't want to give up this (for me) destructive habit completely, even though I intellectually knew this was the best and only conscious choice. But now I am more than ever convinced that I do not want to this anymore. I can say say I'm now 100% sure that I will never smoke weed again. - Before this workshop, I never used to hug people. I did want to, I just never did. What would people think and stuff. You know, the usual. I did however set the intention of hugging as many people as I could when I was in Vegas. Things started of great at the pre-meeting, where I got to share my first 20-30 hugs with an awesome bunch of new instant friends. The number of hugs increased dramatically, but what's more amazing is that as days went on I was able to hug complete strangers in under a minute, not just once, but multiple times. Unimagineable! I actually think I overdid it, as I'm now experiencing some chest pains.  Must have been the imitation of Jesse's signature style bear bug that I gave to him that did this. That hurt me more than him! Today I got another (unexpected) bear hug after connecting with an older man at the airport in Washington, while waiting for my transfer back to Belgium. Luckily his wife was a bit more gentle. - I wrote this reply in the plane, and a few minutes after writing, I connected with the person sitting next to me and gave her a sitting hug too! I'm really going to ease up a little now though, for my health's sake - I used to almost never talk to strangers, but ever since the exercise where we had to ask silly questions, the floodgates are wide open. I now feel comfortable approaching just about anyone, everywhere, at any moment in time to start up a conversation. I practiced this by consistently talking to people who stepped inside the elevator I was in or when I stepped in theirs. I did this at least 30 or 40 times in a row. I would enter an elevator full of people and say something like "Is this the fun elevator?", which got good results, or "Can I enter this one, because sometimes people don't let me" or by just asking people what they were up to, if they had been gambling, etc... Once I got excited and exclaimed, "This one goes to eleven!!" (my floor), but I guess people hadn't seen Spinal Tap. Me neither, but still. In 98-99% of the cases this resulted in a very positive experience, not just for me, but also for the people I got to connect with. This was lifechanging.And my dear friends, I'm just scratching the surface here. I have experienced similar and just as important shifts in just about every area of my life. If I had known how much I would gain from this workshop, I would have gladly paid double or triple the cost. Or more. There's I chance I wouldn't have done so if I hadn't known how valuable this going to be for me, though. If you will get even just a tenth of the results I got, by watching the dvd, it will be worth the cost. Just my two cents (which I found on floor after manifesting them) P.S. I love my new planet. The old one was stupid! (workshop in joke)  Last edited by Dukie; 10-08-2009 at 03:38 PM. Reason: It's a long post, there were some errors in it ;) |
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10-08-2009, 01:34 PM
| #122 (permalink) |
| Family Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Australia
Posts: 1,041
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Daan, your results are quite inspirational. Thank you for sharing them. I'd love to be able to connect with friends I haven't met yet(strangers) and give and receive hugs so quickly. I should work on that. |
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10-08-2009, 01:54 PM
| #123 (permalink) | |
| Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 180
| Quote:
Your passion for change and growth is inspiring! It was wonderful to meet you and get to know you in Vegas. Looking forward to hearing more stories about your adventures! -Jack PS. Love it! The first requirement for growth - admitting that 'This is a STUPID planet!' | |
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10-08-2009, 02:45 PM
| #124 (permalink) |
| Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY
Posts: 8
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Hey Daan, We met only briefly at the workshop but it's funny that the picture I had of you is totally different from what you painted here. The way you were handing out hugs and approaching people, I thought you were already an expert at it! To find out that this was all new to you really surprised me! Anyway, congrats on all the transformations and thanks for sharing them with us! Keep it up! Jim |
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10-08-2009, 04:41 PM
| #125 (permalink) | |
| Master  Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 5,988
 | Quote:
It was so rewarding and gratifying to see the sparkle of life return to so many people's eyes. | |
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10-08-2009, 04:46 PM
| #126 (permalink) |
| Member Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 80
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@ Daan -- you were SUCH a pleasure to meet and to watch, and I remember the very first night, at the meet-up, you jumped up to give me a hug goodbye and we had barely had a chance to talk. I think I fell in love with you and your open, happy energy at that moment. I myself can often be shy and while I'm always friendly sometimes I have found 'small talk' to be excruciating, probably because on some level it felt fake. I like real, meaningful conversation. Sooo, as it turns out that aversion to small talk was actually about me, in that I must have been caring too much about how I was perceived by other people. Since this workshop, I have been TOTALLY connected to everyone I've met, just about. I haven't cared at all what they think about me or how I'm dressed - just about the feeling of being connected and caring about them. I've had more genuine meaningful small talk conversations (read: connections) in the last few days than, well, ever. I can FEEL like we are all connected, and sharing this amazing adventure in just...different packages of the same thing, same essence. It's such a great feeling, I am walking around with an even bigger grin than I was before (I was already happy!). Many people at the workshop told me they felt great connection with me and great energy, and while I went in with the intention to really put myself out there, I came out with even more than I could have imagined. Thanks Steve, especially for that final exercise which I keep recalling and re-doing whenever I feel that connected sensation fading. @ Jim: Just wanted to say that I really love the way you are supporting your friend Dan here in the forum, and also love your posts on facebook. Thanks for sharing here what could have been kept private - I'll bet it's helpful for both of you, but it is also helpful for me. xo Shauna |
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10-09-2009, 03:21 PM
| #127 (permalink) | |
| Family Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Oblong, Illinois
Posts: 3,335
| Quote:
In the years I have been doing audio and custom audio I have been asked to refund the purchase price one time. Much of my work is refereed by therapists who are familiar with my work. I listen to people who would never buy my audio programs that my prices are too high and it is just a scam to extract money from people who need help. I know I provide value and that if my products are not useful to my customers I do not wish to keep the money I was paid for the product. I have seen the positive effect the recordings have on people and derive much satisfaction from helping people. Indeed the sense of being useful to people and playing a small role in helping someone move from desperately unhappy to a fulfilled, functional and happy individual is beyond my words to describe. There will always be those who use price as a reason, often with some bitterness and blame that the price was too expensive and they were thus prevented from benefiting form this tool. The same people will find the tool without value and proclaim it has no good effect on them if it is given for free. Those who pay and especially those who have to expend extra effort to be able to afford a workshop or audio video program are already motivated to take action and change their lives. I have on occasion done pro bono work for clients of therapists. It works well for them when they are committed to the therapeutic process and are making some sacrifices in terms of time and money to continue therapy. Early in my career I extended free or nearly free product to people who simply said they were unable to pay the listed price. It was mostly an exercise in futility. I see the price of Steve's workshop and the projected cost of the DVD set as very reasonable and fair. | |
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10-09-2009, 04:05 PM
| #128 (permalink) |
| Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Belgium
Posts: 80
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I would never have experienced all these changes if it weren't for all incredible people that were out there, I'm sure of that! I saw some old 'friends' last night and they didn't even want to hug me  They were kinda annoyed with me too, actually. Which is awesome, cause now I can let them go. I'm free!!! |
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10-09-2009, 04:34 PM
| #129 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 22,520
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10-09-2009, 04:51 PM
| #130 (permalink) | |
| Family Member Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,606
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10-09-2009, 05:14 PM
| #131 (permalink) | ||
| Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Belgium
Posts: 80
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Quote:
I don't have much in common with my oldest friends, except for history. They're only interested in doing drugs, drinking alcohol, watching tv and basically wasting time. They don't care about personal development and they don't even like me talking about this kinda stuff. I brought one of those friends with me to Vegas (he didn't go to the workshop) and he said that he had to bite his tongue a number of times because I was going on again and again about how great a time I was having, growing, meeting people, experiencing things, etc... I've been trying to help my friends grow for a long time, but noone's interested and I get nothing back from them. It's actually bringing me down. If they don't want to change, I can't help them. And if they get annoyed with me, then it's time to leave. I'm going to write a new post about this specifically in the workshop forum later tonight. About the hugging, there's definitely less hugging going on around here. But, there still plenty of people who are open to it. One friend I was the least close to did want to hug me. I even hugged some Belgian strangers already. So it's not really the culture. And if it is, it's time to change it Last edited by Dukie; 10-10-2009 at 01:06 AM. | ||
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10-09-2009, 05:42 PM
| #132 (permalink) |
| Family Member Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,606
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Dukie, that makes a lot more sense now. Yeah, if you don't connect with them anymore, time to generate new friends for your life. That's pretty cool you've gotten hugs from Belgium strangers, that's even much more impressive than in getting hugs from American strangers!
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10-09-2009, 06:01 PM
| #134 (permalink) | ||
| Family Member Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,606
| Quote:
Quote:
. I had just noticed it a few minutes ago too!
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10-09-2009, 06:15 PM
| #135 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 12,690
| Quote:
I'm all for a big hug, but mostly from people where it would mean something more than just a habitual gesture. | |
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10-09-2009, 06:34 PM
| #136 (permalink) | ||
| Banned Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 22,520
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Quote:
 A cultural norm isn't necessarily a soulless gesture; it depends entirely on what you have the willingness and personal power to generate in an encounter. (p.s.. I was exaggerating when I said "everyone" ... we don't stop every single passerby and hug. )
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10-09-2009, 07:05 PM
| #141 (permalink) | |
| Banned Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 12,690
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