A BLESSING FOR THE NEW YEAR

"A glad New Year to all the Earth!"

~ Martin Luther ~

May your heart be full.

May you properly use your will.

May you go with the flow

Regarding things you don't know.

May you appreciate each moment,

Step up to your calling and own it,

Give hugs,

Embrace your love,

And avoid eating too many doughnuts.
:)

I properly align myself with Divine Will. 

CONSIDERING THE NEW YEAR

"The rose of the old year withers away as the new bud begins to bloom." 

~ Terri Guillemets ~

Approaching the New Year is one of the most powerful times of the year. We get a reset button and an opportunity to re-vamp and re-boot. So what will we do with our clean slate?

     Let's be intentional. Let's make decisions, set realistic goals, and commit to work towards them. This is how we enlighten and empower our lives.

I consider which course to chart in the new year and how I want to trim my sails.

THE GLORY OF TWINS!

"All who would win joy, must share it; happiness was born a twin." 

~ Lord Byron ~

22 years ago today, I was blessed with twins- two bright and gifted individuals who have given my life depth and substance that it wouldn't have otherwise had. Nick has the ability to understand things and see clearly and crisply. His mind is quick and sharp. And Sienna has this powerful, sultry, intuitive wisdom- this knowing about truth and the soul.
     He is suave and organized. She is creative and free-flowing. Together they are glorious beyond words. My Birthday wish for them is that they might experience themselves and each other through my eyes and feel the abundant and unlimited love and potential that they carry within.

I celebrate and appreciate my children and the gift that they bring to my life.

TIME FOR REFLECTION

"I want to unfold.

Let no place in me hold itself closed."

~ Rainer Marie Rilke ~

This is the interim week- the ending of what has been and anticipation of what is to come. It's worthy of our self-reflection and consideration. What is going well? What do we feel good about? And what needs to change?
     Let's commit to quality living and personal growth, to courage, aspiration, perseverance and heart.

I make the commitment to continuously improve my life. 

BOXING DAY

"Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you." 

~ John De Paola ~

Boxing Day, or 2nd Christmas, was originally meant to be a day of rest for those who worked on Christmas serving others, and truthfully, the after-Christmas energy, in some ways, is the sweetest energy of all. It's empty of expectation and angst, and it's full instead of all that has come and all that is no longer a surprise. It's a big sigh of relaxation, grateful repose, and a satisfied heart.

I bask deliciously in the afterglow of Christmas.

IT'S COME AGAIN!

"Christmas comes to bless us!" 

~ Gertrude Tooley Buckingham ~

Christmas Again!

Amen.

I enjoy each tender loving moment.

WHAT WE'RE REALLY AFTER

"There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves." 
~ Eric Sevareid ~

I think, more than anything else, when it comes to Christmas, what we're after, what we long for, and love, is the feeling. It's a feeling of special-ness, of tradition- the songs and decorations, the sweets and parties and abundance of good food, the gathering of people we love all in one spot at one time. That's what Christmas is to me. It's not about the presents so much as the giving and receiving, and not about the planning and preparing so much as the being.

I allow myself to feel the feeling of Christmas that I long for. 

PRE-CHRISTMAS AWARENESS

"Learn to let go." 

~ Steve Maraboli ~

The thing about Christmas is that it's so weighted down with memories of past Christmases. It doesn't get a clean slate. We come at it all front loaded and pre-conceived; wanting to avoid disasters we've experienced, or repeat successes.
     Let's not. Let's let Christmas, and these days before Christmas, just be what they are this year- just come how they come. Let's allow for limitations and imperfection as well as grace, keep our sense of humor, and be good sports and loving souls. That's the point after all, isn't it? To be loving? To show our compassion and generosity and demonstrate our care? Let's let Christmas unfold fresh and new, like it's the first time, and be strengthened by its roots in the past, but not chained by them.

I welcome the days before Christmas however they come. 

FRESH AND DELICIOUS

"It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. The crisp winter air is full of it." 

~ John Burroughs ~

I like the cold weather for itself- not because it makes it cozy to be inside, but because it wakes me up and feels fresh and exhilarating. I love the sting of it on my cheeks, the expansion it creates in my lungs, the sight of frost and ice sparkles in the sun, and the need it creates for goose down, gloves, and warm socks. Cold weather is invigorating. It makes me happy to be alive. It is steamy breath and bright red berries on bushes and the best energizer I know!!

I love the cold weather! 

   

ACTING AS IF

"Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don't count on harvesting Golden Delicious." 

~ Bill Meyer ~

Sulky, sullen attitudes are toxic to all they touch. They ooze and bubble like an infected cut. If we're having a bad day, if we wish we were elsewhere, if we find someone particularly annoying, let's rise above it, take the high road, and be bigger than our own pettiness. Let's act as if we're happy and well and interested in everyone we encounter. And if we do this successfully enough, we may just find that happy and well is how we start to feel.

I spread kindness and good nature to others and keep my sulking to myself.

THE EXAMINED LIFE

"Wisdom is not what you know but how quickly you adjust when the opposite proves true." 

~ Robert Brault ~

If we never pause in life then we will never realize the need to re-calibrate. Endless pushing is just that- endless. It gets us locked in a spiraling cycle that unconsciously repeats itself. Pausing gives us a chance to become conscious. And then we can move forward with more focused attention and greater care.

I pause regularly to re-calibrate.

FLOATING DOWNSTREAM

"The greatest leverage for healing is found at the subtlest levels of function." 

~ Rudolph Ballentine ~

Healing is a gentle process. It doesn't happen in a slam-dunk. It's gradual and organic, graded, steady. subtle, and at times, hard to perceive. And surrendering to the process- fully surrendering to it- is actually rather beautiful. We are like leaves being gently carried downstream.
     And perhaps, the whole process of living is the same way if we can only detach from our worry and fear. Perhaps, whether we're aware of it or not, throughout our days and hours, we are being gently and organically carried, like leaves by the current on the surface of water.

I surrender to the process of healing and of life. 

BLESSINGS FROM OUT OF NOWHERE

"Ultimately, there can be no complete healing until we have restored our primal trust in life." 

~ Georg Feuerstein ~

We never know where our good will come from- often not from where we expect. We count on blessings from one direction and they come from another, from sideways and the back corner and above and below. But the meaningful thing, and the thing to remember, is that they come.

I trust that something will always come to make me feel better.

AN ERROR IN PERCEPTION

"There are two kinds of light- the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures." 

~ James Thurber ~

It's so hard to unconditionally trust the people we love and to love them without judgment. We think we know better what's best for them, that they are all wrong and off base, that they need our guidance and direction to find their way. And maybe they do, some of the time, in certain ways; but more often, they need our encouragement. They need to know that we trust them to figure it out, to find the solution, to reach a bit farther than they think they can. So let's stop questioning others and start promoting their own resourcefulness, intuitive knowing, and inner strength.

 I am encouraging rather than judgmental.

THE CYCLE OF PUSH AND PAUSE

"Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know." 

~ Pema Chodron ~

No matter how dramatic life becomes, it is always followed by and patched here and there with moments or more of calm. We feel we can't make it, and then relief comes. We are stretched to our limits, and then the stretching stops. We are tumbled by waves and then popped to the surface of the water- just so far, and no farther.
     Letting go is the lesson and the answer- to stop pushing and fighting and wait, and trust, and keep our faith, knowing that relief is coming, that we will be pushed only so far, and then popped up, and slowed down, and let go.

When I am pushed to my limits I don't have to push back. I wait and trust and know that relief is on its way.

TIME AND HEALING

"The work of healing is peeling away the barriers of fear that keep us unaware of our true nature." 

~ Joan Borysenko ~

I have strength within me that I didn't used to have, and courage enough to face what comes; a heart full of love, a sense of humor, and an intuitive gut. Age and experience have given me  a bit of wisdom and I know enough to know that time passes, seasons come and go, and injured bodies heal.

I celebrate the miraculous healing powers of the human body.

UNITY IN DIFFICULTY

"Pain is the great teacher of mankind. Beneath its breath souls develop." 

~ Marie Dubsky ~

No matter what we're going through, it could always be worse. We don't have to look far to see others in equal or more challenging situations. It's our shared suffering that unites us as human beings, and that raises our compassion and keeps us humble and grateful that we are blessed in the ways that we are- and conscious of the fact that we are not victims, but participants. Suffering is simply part of the experience of life on earth.

I accept my suffering and have compassion for us all.

LESSONS IN THE STORM

"Trouble creates a capacity to handle it." 

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes ~

Anything could happen. That's what makes life a bit scary at times, but also interesting. Unexpected experiences keep us awake and paying attention, vigilant, curious, alert, and ready for action.

I am grateful for unexpected happenings and know they come to teach me lessons and that calm will always come again.

CONSIDERING SELF-CARE

"Let thy hands be as the hands of a good watch, through every golden moment marking the worthy progress of the inner life." 

~ James Lendall Basford ~

What does self-care consist of? It changes from moment to moment and day to day. Sometimes it's moving and sometimes it's being still. Sometimes it's to eat and sometimes it's to stop eating. Self-care is as fluid, dynamic, and ever-changing as the weather, and we must attend to it diligently if we want to be grounded and solid within.

I administer to my changing needs and treat myself with ongoing love and kindness.

THE UNKNOWN FUTURE

"I fear thee not, O untried morrow!" 

~ Julia B. Cady ~

Waiting for the results of an uncertain outcome is a tenuous emotional position. Possibilities on the upside and the downside face off with each other over and over. One tries to distract the mind but it keeps returning to the unknown future like the tongue to a sore tooth. What if this? What if that?
     And none of it changes the outcome- it just comes. So better to soak up the moment and leave the unknown to itself.

I clear my mind of obsessive thinking and let be what is.

PRAYER FOR WILLINGNESS

"Earth's tribulations diminish in proportion to the elevation of our souls." 

~ James Lendall Basford ~

Dear God,

Please free me from doubt and dread, and

Fill my heart with love instead!

Thank you!

Amen

I open to what I cannot understand, and show up willing to experience whatever may come.

WHAT WE REALLY KNOW

"Instinct is untaught ability." 

~ Alexander Bain ~

Sometimes we know things, and sometimes we think we know things, but we really don't. Our intuition is a trustworthy guide, but it can be clouded with fears and desires, expectations, and false pride. I think if we quiet ourselves and ground ourselves then we know when we really know, and know when it's just fooling ourselves or wishful thinking. Let's make it a daily practice to tune in and turn on the truth.

I spend time in silence daily so that I can properly learn to hear my inner guide.

STOPPING WHEN WE'VE HAD ENOUGH

"Sitting downtown in a railway station

One toke over the line." 

~ Brewer & Shipley ~

Can we stop when we've had enough, or is there something in us that wants to push as far as we possibly can? To come up against the farthest limit, and see how much we can take?

     Let's learn to be reasonable, and sane. Thrill-seeking and strung-out living has its limitations and blocks us to the simple and readily accessible gifts of the day.

I embrace the sensibility of moderation.

SLEEP DEPRIVED NATION

"Sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together." 

~ Thomas Dekker ~

If we're all so tired all the time, why don't we get more sleep? We could watch less television, make the decision not to do that final Facebook sweep, and honor the exhaustion that plagues us. We could get in bed earlier and feel less bedraggled when we wake up. It's our choice, and convincing ourselves somehow that it's not, that our being awake is so critical to the functioning of the world because we have so much to do, or that we need a certain amount of mindless activity in our lives to feel good doesn't really serve us. What serves us is more sleep.

I go to bed early and get enough sleep.

COMFORT IN THE UNKNOWN FUTURE

"Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way." 

~ Native American Saying ~

Becoming comfortable with not knowing may be one of the greatest challenges we face. It seems to come so naturally to be afraid and to expect bad things rather than trusting without reservation that in the big picture all is well.

     Let's work on this. Let's catch ourselves being fearful, comfort ourselves with compassion, and turn in the direction of faith.

I am willing to welcome whatever comes.

LIVING GRATITUDE

"To live gratitude is to touch heaven." 

~ Johannes A. Gaertner ~

I am grateful for the ocean, the mountains, morning, noon, and midnight; for family gatherings and hard times that bring us together; for colors, textures, the smell of wood smoke, and laughing so hard it makes me cry. I am grateful for love, courage, optimism, resilience, renewal, and the rhythm of days to keep us keeping on.
     Life is good, even when it stretches us. Angels abound, and we always get what we need.

I recognize the good in my life and appreciate the challenges that make me grow.

THANKSGIVING QUESTION

"Let us remember that, as much as has been given to us, much will be expected of us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds." 

~ Theodore Roosevelt ~

Thanksgiving is a time to feel grateful for the harvest, and in our modern era, this may be less about bringing in crops and more about recognizing all that we have learned and gathered and accomplished since last year. Feeling grateful is always an opportunity to reflect, and we are blessed not only with things, but with intrinsic gifts- our intelligence, intuition, talents, and grace. So how we are actively appreciating these personal-to-us blessings by using them to make the world better in some way is an excellent Thanksgiving question, and one that we might all consider with honesty and care.

I use my gifts and talents to heal and improve the world. 

FAMILY DYNAMICS

"Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!" 

~ Albert Einstein ~

Every family has its quirks, and if we stop wanting ours to be other than it is, we can actually learn to enjoy the special strangeness. We are all characters in our own way, and the mix we have by birth and marriage in our unique family situation is part of us, whether we want to deny it or embrace it. So why not embrace it, and keep our sense of humor, and enjoy the coming together this week of whoever may come?

I enjoy the characters in my family.

FOCAL POINT

"Sighs and groans are the language of faultfinders." 

~ James Lendall Basford ~

We spend too much time complaining. We complain about how tired we are, how much we have to do, how people irritate us, and all the things we disapprove of and that we have to endure. And if we don't complain out loud, we do it silently in our heads, where it reeks just as much havoc.
     What we focus on increases, so lets focus on the good stuff instead. There's plenty of it around if we will just pay attention and see.

I stop complaining and appreciate the goodness in my life.

STORY BOOK REALITY

"If you see the magic in a fairy tale, you can face the future." 

~ Danielle Steel ~

We talk about a story book wedding and a story book life, and believe this means picture-perfect, and yet, most stories tell the tale of overcoming hardship and they don't all end happily ever after. Our storybook instructs us while it entertains, and generally points to deeper truth than the one that is immediately apparent. Sometimes it's scary, and sometimes it's not what we expect, but a good story always has a moral, and our lives are no different than that.

I watch for lessons and know that every story has one. 

LIVING THE DREAM

"Go out there and do something remarkable." 

~ Wendy Wasserstein ~

Alive with ideas

Empty of fear

Using insight and ear

To steer clearly 

Proceed cheerily

Blast through doubt

And come out

Fulfilled

I live my dream. 

THE ERROR OF OUR ASSUMPTIONS

"How much has to be explored and discarded before reaching the naked truth of feeling." 

~ Claude Debussy ~

Let's stop telling people that we know how they feel. How can we possibly? We can relate what they're going through to something in our own lives, but lets not hijack their emotions as if they are par for the course and not unique to them. We all deserve the depth of feeling that comes along with the challenges of our lives.

I give people their dignity and don't think or pretend that I know how it is for them. I listen and send love instead. 

WHAT KEEPS US GOING

"I got the blues thinking about the future, so I left off and made some marmalade. It's amazing how it cheers one up to shred oranges and scrub the floor." 

~ DH Lawrence ~

Life is full of opportunity and there is no time for boredom or whining or despair. Thank God for our work, daily chores, and responsibilities. They keep us getting up in the morning and stepping into the day with a sense of purpose and the understanding that no matter what may or may not happen, life goes on.

The rhythm of life sustains me. 

BREAKING FREE OF LIMITS

"I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom." 

~ Simone de Beauvoir ~

Why do we limit ourselves with small thoughts? With our fears and insecurities and pain from the past? Let's break free of all of it and be the glorious, divine, heart-filled souls that we are.

I experience the lightness of being.

THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE

"The past can't see you, but the future is listening." 

~ Terri Guillemets ~

The future is uncertain because that's how it's supposed to be. If we knew what was coming from the hard side of life, we might not want to keep on, and from the blessed side of life we can't even conceive of the wonder of what may come until we've gone through all the hard stuff first. The answer is love for the process, and trust in the bigger picture, and understanding the need to do the best we can right right here and now.

I'm excited about the future and trust it to be good.

SUN MEDICINE

"What is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light?" 

~ Maurice Freehill ~

Too much sun on our faces isn't good, but not enough may be equally detrimental. We need the warmth and the energy of it- the soothing, healing balm- especially early in the morning or late in the day this time of year when the air is chilly. We need sun-medicine for what ails us: delicious, sustaining, and full of spiritual nutrition.

For restoration and healing, I close my eyes for a moment and turn my face to the sun.

THE FLOW OF LIGHT

"Everything in the universe has rhythm. Everything dances." 

~ Maya Angelou ~

Let's be aware of the changing energy in us and in the world from morning to noon to midnight. Let's be aware of the changing light. Let's rise and shine with the sun, blaze through the day, and set quietly as evening envelopes us. Let's live as the revolving, natural, and spiritual beings that we are.

I rise and set like the sun.

THE LEARNING CURVE

"Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every conceived notion, (and) follow humbly wherever and whatever abysses nature leads." 

~ Thomas Huxley ~

If we are willing to be patient, we can master most things, but it's not easy being a beginner and we tend to want to figure it all out in a flash. Ours is the culture of impatience and demand. We want it now, and the sooner the better. But our impatience works against us in a myriad of ways. It shuts down our curiosity and our problem solving inclinations and pushes our frustration buttons instead. And if we don't get it in an instant we are sure that we can't get it at all.
     Let's slow down and allow for the process of learning in anything new that we endeavor. It's a slow and steady climb up a long hill, but the view at the top makes every halting step worth it in the end.

I am willing to take my time learning new things. 

HONORING OUR FLESH AND BONES

"In the body, and the instincts of the body, there should be no shame, but rather a frank, joyous pride." 

~ Arnold Bennett ~

In January of 1999, my only sister took a bunch of pills and left her body lying on the floor by the wall in her apartment in Lander, Wyoming where the landlord found her three days later. She was 32 years old.
     When I saw her, she was frozen solid at the funeral home, and made-up just for my benefit. I washed the make-up off- she never wore any - and cleaned dried blood from her abdomen where they had performed the autopsy, and while I did that, I reveled in the beauty and mystique of her freshly abandoned physical form- the musculature of her, and her signature moles. The experience gave me a profound appreciation for bodies in general and hers in particular.
     In honor of all the bodies that have passed away, ashes to ashes and dust to dust, let's be sure to appreciate the ones we have, and treat them with the great care and compassion that they deserve.

I love and appreciate my body.

SHARING THE LOAD

"Those who need us give us a hold upon life." 

~ Marie Dubsky ~

We needn't suffer alone. The human journey is a shared one, and sharing it, we gain understanding. From understanding comes compassion, and from compassion, grace. That we survive at all and have the ability to bounce back from what we endure is miraculous, and our resilience and strength in the face of hardship is a beautiful thing.

We are better off when we stick together, and more alike than we may know.

WANTING TO BE THROUGH THINGS

"Patience has a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." 

~ John Quincy Adams ~

Why is it so hard to be patient? To have to wait in traffic, or in a long line, or for answers to our inquiries or test results? We are so speed oriented and obsessed with knowing outcomes, but this doesn't make for much of a quality life- always rushing and pushing against whatever we're up against, wanting to be through it, past it, and in the clear. But the clear is fleeting at best, and having to wait for some of the time or much of the time while things unfold is a basic reality of life on earth.

I accept the stop and flow of daily life and find a way to appreciate it all.

SEE-THROUGH LIVING

"To give vent to his feelings, whether of pleasure or discontent, is a great ease to a man's heart." 

~ Francesco Guicciardini ~

We all need love, and maybe the grouchiest among us need the most love of all. We push away what scares us and lash out at those we care for the most. In this way, we live by opposition and it shows up in the wrinkles on our face.
     Let's come into alignment instead. Let's simply be real, be honest, and be exactly who we are and where we are- afraid, unsure, insecure, tired, sore- there's no need for disguise or blinders. All is always and ever as it should be, and our authenticity is the ticket to freedom.

I share my vulnerabilities and live free.

COMPETING FOR WHO HAS IT WORST

"Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness." 

~ Richard Carlson ~

Life is sometimes urgent and impinging, with awaiting demands and so much to be kept together and managed. It's a challenge to maintain a sense of relaxation and calm, to be open and flowing and easy with ourselves and others. We compete for stress. Who works the hardest? Who's doing the most? Who's getting the least amount of sleep? What a hollow victory to win.
     Let's indulge in sleep instead, and slow down for real. Efficiency doesn't necessarily happen in a hurry. It happens instead with attention and great care.

I stop rushing and straining and relax into the day.

ALL SAINTS' DAY

"At first cock crow the ghosts must go

Back to their quiet graves below."

~ Theodosia Garrison ~

All-Saints Day follows Halloween like fresh air follows a thunderstorm: from chaos to calm, ghouls to angels, and darkness to light.

The sweetest quiet comes after raucous noise.

HALLOWEEN

"Tonight All-Hallows Spectre struts along the moonlit way." 

~ John Kendrick Bangs ~

I am haunted by music from the past that takes me back to feelings I'd rather not feel, by convoluted and confusing dreams, by misunderstanding I cannot fix, stays at the hospitals, and riddling self-doubt. And I am released from the grip of these ghosts by being willing to see them and live with them and let them be what they are. What haunts me, haunts in order to teach, and a higher purpose can be found if I look and ask and wonder.

I live with ghosts of all kinds from every era of my life.

THE NEXT RIGHT THING

"Wisdom is knowing what to do next; virtue is doing it." 

~ David Star ~

The next right thing to do is not always fun or what we necessarily want to do, but it does make us feel good after the fact because it is always right.

Knowing that I have to live with the voices inside my head, I do the next right thing no matter what.

HIGH MILEAGE

"Wrinkles merely indicate where smiles have been."

~ Mark Twain ~

My car has 208,000 miles on it, and in some ways, it is a bit worse for wear. The back window is stuck part way down and has to be taped, the electronic displays are missing bars and can't be read; the ceiling is peeling, and there are a few leaks I have to keep an eye on. But by and large, it steadies on, and is a comfortable, smooth ride down the road.
     I celebrate the endurance of my car. It has held up through thick and thin. And if we think about it in the right way, aren't our bodies a bit like that as well?

I acknowledge and appreciate all of the storms I've survived.

SPORTSMANSHIP

"True sportsmanship is knowing that you need your opponent because without him or her, there is no game." 

~ Lori Myers ~

It does seem strange in life that some people have a relatively smooth ride and others are on extreme roller coasters right from the get-go. And I'm not sure how much of that has to do with the choices we make, or with karma, or with God's higher plan. The fact is that we can't know. All we can do is bring our best attitude to the game and be good sports no matter how it plays out.

I play the cards life deals me the very best I can. 

CLEAN COMMUNICATION

"Watch your own speech, and notice how it is guided by your less conscious purposes." 

~ George Eliot ~

Some conversational topics are toxic to our well-being: religion and politics being chief among them. Strongly held opinions and inflexible perspectives do not make for open discussion and a meeting of the minds, and interacting in such a case is more like being pummeled with a machine-gun than being led intellectually to a new point of view.

I avoid toxic conversations. 

CHANGE IN PLANS

"To live remains an art which everyone must learn and no one can teach." 

~ Havelock Ellis ~

We can make our best plans, but nothing guarantees that they will not get interrupted by unexpected needs and demands. Our daily priorities can shift in an instant when accidents strike, sickness settles in, or Mother Nature kicks up an insurmountable patch of weather.
     And when things like this happen, it's ok to feel disappointed, but festering in resentment will do nothing but poison us, and ultimately, it doesn't change a thing.

I make the best of a bad situation, and remain fluid and flexible when life requires a change in plans.

LIVING FREE

"Freedom begins between the ears." 

~ Edward Abby ~

Steady and free from encumbrances- that's the way to live- not trailing a bunch of unfinished business from the past or fret over the future. If we put down our burden of concerns, we can feel light and lucid, experience pleasure in the little things, and live for the day.

Just for today, I am willing to let go of all that is weighing me down. 

A NEW TWIST ON SAVING TIME

"There are a million ways to lose a day, but not even a single way to get one back." 

~ Tom Demarco ~

We overspend our time the same way we overspend on credit cards- with less care than is ultimately beneficial, and flippantly, as if we will have the money later that we don't have now. But in the long run, it has to be better to spend cash and savor each moment, for how can it ultimately serve us in any meaningful way to live by borrowing money or borrowing time?

I am careful and thoughtful with both my money and my time.

THE GIFT OF NOT KNOWING

"To teach how to live with uncertainty, yet without being paralyzed by hesitation, is perhaps the chief thing that philosophy can do." 

~ Bertrand Russel ~

I used to want to know exactly how things were going to play out so that I could manage my expectations, and not knowing made me mad; but now I realize that there is a gift in the not knowing after all. Having no certainty or guarantees about the future makes us more clearly value our lives where they are, and exactly as they are.

Not knowing how the path will unfold- whether grandly, or with great pain- I appreciate each bit of goodness that  I experience along the way. 

OVERFULL-NESS

"Clear clutter. Make space for you." 

~ Magdalena Vandenberg ~

The paper towel holder at work is always overfull and jammed to capacity- so full, in fact, that it becomes nearly impossible to get a paper towel out of it when we need one.
     And aren't our lives the same way when we overfill them?

I leave room in my schedule for movement and free-play.

EMOTIONAL WORKLOAD

"Give your stress wings and let it fly away." 

~ Terri Guillemets ~

In some way, emotional challenges are more exhausting than physical ones. Having to stretch our conceptual vision to allow for unreachable people and circumstances that tug in every conceivable way on our heartstrings is demanding in a way that a strenuous workout at the gym simply is not.
     And yet, they both require recovery time, and they both strengthen us and build our endurance, so in that way they are the same.
     Nonetheless, I would rather lift weights than carry an emotional load. It can be, and so often is, seemingly more than we can bear.

I have compassion for the way that emotional strain puts demand on my soul.

FRESH AIR

"Over everything connected with autumn there lingers some golden spell- some unseen influence that penetrates the soul with its mysterious power." 

~ Northern Advocate ~

Perfect blue sky glorious fall weather invigorates my spirit and feeds my soul. I love everything about the fresh air when it really feels fresh, and the changing leaves, rustling wind, apples, berries, and seasonal light.

I celebrate the fresh fall air!

STANDING UP STRAIGHT

"Nothing is more injurious to the health... than stooping." 

~ Job Orton ~

Our postural vigilance could often use improvement. Even when we feel like we're standing up straight, we may not be, and videos and pictures show us how unknowingly slack we have become.
     Let's bring extra awareness to our bodies today, and carry them with a sense of pride and appreciation- abs lengthened, chest lifted, head up, and shoulders back.

I honor my body and my life by standing up straight.

HOW WE STORE MEMORIES

"Every man's memory is his private literature." 

~ Aldous Huxley ~

It's one thing to overcome difficulty and face challenge, but it's another entirely to store it properly in our memory and in our heart. We have choices in terms of how we do this. We can punish ourselves ceaselessly with our errors, or bless ourselves with celebration and love.

I credit myself with whatever positive effort I may make, and forgive myself for my mistakes.

ADAPTABILITY

"I think I've discovered the secret of life- you just hang around until you get used to it." 

~ Charles Schultz ~

Things that are initially uncomfortable to think about and assimilate become more comfortable with time. Familiarity induces a sense of well-being. And we crave homeostasis and equilibrium, so if something is pulling us out of balance, we adapt and adjust however we need to for counterbalance. Our powers of adaptation are limitless, and profound.

I am adaptable and vast and able to absorb and assimilate any kind of strangeness or discomfort that I may face.

THE SWEET RHYTHM OF TIME

"I'm not the station. I'm not the stop. I'm the train. I'm the train." 

~ Martin Amis ~

In this distractable, hurried, and over-worked era in which we live, it's hard to relate comfortably to time. It seems to move so fast, that we never have enough of it, and that we're in a kind of race against it- to keep up and not get left behind. But all of the angst is in us, it's not in time. Time is evolutionary and process oriented and not interested in deadlines.
     Learning to move comfortably through our hours and days is a form of art, and once we master it, every moment is a blessing and a gift, we lack for nothing, and all is ever and always exactly as it should be.

I stop pushing and forcing and hurrying and let time carry me gently like a leaf floating down the stream.

PUTTING OURSELVES OUT THERE

"Behold the turtle. he makes progress only when he sticks his neck out." 

~ James Bryant Conant ~

Putting ourselves out there in the world can be a bit intimidating at times. We wonder what others will think and how we might be criticized or judged. But that's not a reason to shy away. We can't please everyone, nor should we want to. The reason to carry on and move forward is because of the one, few, or many in whose lives we might actually make a difference.

It's worth it to take a risk for whatever positive impact we might have on the world.

MAKE THE MOST OF IT

"God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them." 

~ John Aughey ~

Not knowing how things will turn out usually feels scary, but maybe it doesn't have to. Maybe we can welcome whatever comes with an open heart knowing that no matter what, it will grow us and evolve us and carry us to the next level of life adventure and the next.

I use everything that happens in my life as fuel for evolution and emotional development.

THE END RESULT

"Let loose upon the Earth till it be light." 

~ Nicholas Gordon ~

Organizing events can be overwhelming, but no matter how many pieces and loose ends have to come together before it's done, somehow, they always do!

I trust the coming together of myriad components and multiple loose ends.

RESPECTING WHAT MATTERS

"'It's a question of discipline,' the Little Prince told me later on, 'When you've finished washing and dressing each morning, you must tend your planet.'" 

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery ~

In high school, lots of my friends used to love to borrow clothes from each other, but I never particularly cared for it. My clothes fit me just right and were comfortably mine. I didn't like the idea of others being potentially less than respectful with things that mattered in my little world.

I use great care when lending and borrowing things of value. 

DEALING WITH MESSES

"When there is hell to pay, it is usually cheaper to pay it than to finance an endless purgatory. 

~ Robert Brault ~

Sometimes things that go awry are easy to fix, and sometimes they're not. What seems as if it should be straightforward isn't, and becomes convoluted and complex, like strings that knot beyond reason in a disentangling attempt.
     The only answer at that point is patience. We have to take a deep breath, settle in for however long it takes, and un-do the mess piece by piece and bit by bit.

I stay calm in tangled-up situations and patiently undo the knots.

LIMITED VISION

"Love truth but pardon error." 

~ Voltaire ~

Things are not always as they seem, and our vision is so much more limited than we realize. We think we are seeing things clearly and understanding them properly, but so often, we are not, and it takes a humbling moment to properly perceive the real view.

I realize that more often than not, there is a broader view than I can initially appreciate.

HINDSIGHT

"Trust movement." 

~ Alfred Adler ~

One thing leads to another and what doesn't make sense at the moment generally does looking back.

I trust what is, and know that it's leading me perfectly to what will be. 

THE RISING PAST

"The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings." 

~ Ralph Blum ~

Sometimes the past bubbles up in a soothing kind of way, nostalgically, and brings comforting memories of times gone by; and sometimes it rears up with fangs. I prefer the former, but find that the latter is a helpful, if sometimes painful, tool to show me which lessons I have forgotten that I already learned.

I accept that the past rises up to sooth me, or teach me, and either way, I make sure to pay attention.

A TWIST ON THE IDEA OF BEING OF SERVICE

"Wishing good, merely, is a lukewarm charity; but doing good is divine." 

~ James Lendall Basford ~

If we are loving, authentic, and humble enough to ask for help, help will come. The universe rallies around us when we are straightforward and sincere- no agenda, no pretense- just a simple request for whatever we need. People want to help. We all like to feel like we are contributing and making a difference, so what better way to provide that feeling for others than by allowing them to make a difference for us?

I ask for help when I need it.  

BEING BRAVE

"Courage is knowing what not to fear." 

~ Plato ~

In so many ways, living takes courage. Just to get up in the morning and keep on, in spite of everything overwhelming and unknown in our world requires a certain fortitude, a certain willingness, and a certain faith.
     And what is courage really, but faith? Faith that we will be carried through difficulty, comforted when no comfort seems possible, and survive in spite of daunting odds. Let's step into the future with courage. Let's step up and claim our divine right to grow the seeds that have been planted in us. With courage, let's rise, and shine. Let's be brave and bold and go forward, and have faith.

I embrace courage and take the next step. 

QUIET TIME

"Silence is the universal refuge." 

~ Henry David Thoreau ~

Sometimes we just need to take a day or an hour or 5 minutes to stop everything and be still- to listen and breathe and recover from all of the noise and distraction of life. We need periods of pause and reflection, silence and centering, restoration and ease.

I take the edge off every once in a while and sit quietly breathing.

BLESSINGS

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul." 

~ Henry Ward Beecher ~

I am grateful to live in America, grateful for the fact that my children are grown-up and mostly healthy, for the coming fall, open communication, the feeling of compassion, and love in my heart. I'm grateful for clean clothes, iced coffee, peaches, and the full moon. Gratitude reflects our blessings and appropriately acknowledges them, and the list is generally too long to name; but no matter what, it always starts and ends with the fact that I am alive.

I appreciate my blessings.

CHOOSING A PATH

"It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are." 

~ Roy Disney ~

We make choices everyday that lead us forward, and even if our choices are unconscious, because of the law of cause and effect, they still determine our path.

I base my daily choices on the direction I want to go.

BEING WHO WE ARE

"We are like the little branch that quivers during a storm, doubting our strength and forgetting we are the tree- deeply rooted to withstand all of life's upheavals." 

~ Dodinsky ~

I'm not sure of the purpose that self-doubt serves, but I think it has one, because it keeps popping up. On the one hand, I know that I have value and feel pretty secure in that, and on the other, I have a kind of disbelief that I have any value at all.
     The truth, I suppose, is that I'm good at some things and not so good at others, but my real value is not in what I do necessarily, but in who I am, and my particular perspective. That's what I have to offer and that's what I have to share- my testimony, my experience, and what I've learned. Some may benefit from my offerings and others may not; all is as it should be, and self-doubt doesn't really need to play into it at all unless I'm trying to please everyone.
     All I can do on any given day is be willing to show up and share authentically from the heart, with integrity, compassion, and unconditional love.

I needn't be perfect and needn't please everyone. I need only be me. That's where my true value lies.

WHAT IF?

"All of life is the exercise of risk." 

~ William Sloane Coffin ~

What if questions generally create a dust-storm of thinking and don't solve much. Whatever happens or doesn't happen, we'll deal with it, process it, learn from it, and grow; so no fear is necessary and no fear is helpful, and no fear is ever and always the best approach.

I trust in the moment.

GUT SENSE

"Intuition is a spiritual faculty and does not explain, but simply points the way." 

~ Florence Scovel Shinn ~

Our gut is a good messenger, and it tells us what we need to know. But so often, we shut it down, push it back, and defy it boldly with our powers of logic and justification. And by doing this, we pay a price. How often have we had to admit that we knew better moments, days, weeks or years after the fact?

I trust my gut.

MAKING A FAIR TRADE

"Proceed with caution and eyes wide open." 

~ Don Rittner ~

Everyone wants to sell us something. They angle in innocently enough with promises of unbridled generosity, freebies galore, and a whole lot of something for nothing, but that's not an equation that adds up. Interaction in life is the exchange of one thing for another. That's a spiritual law, and we would do best to remember that before we enter into business dealings of any kind. We better be certain that we want further engagement than what's initially offered because that's what's coming, and what's expected, and what's ultimately the reasonable and fair trade.

When dealing with business of all kinds I practice discernment, and remember the spiritual principle of equal exchange.

RESPECTING PERSONAL SPACE

"Don't be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn't do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn't know what you know today."

~ Malcom X ~

Compassion requires of us that we be gentle and loving, that we approach others with respect and do not thrust ourselves into their personal and emotional space, or enter into their world with too much intensity. We must be quiet and non-imposing, present, and reflective; willing to share whatever is going on rather than trying to fix it, or discount it, or give it some kind of positive Pollyanna spin.

I respect the integrity of other people's emotions and need for personal space, and do not tread all over them with my big ideas and strong desires.

THE LIMITATIONS OF SCARE TACTICS

"When did the future switch from being a promise to being a threat?" 

~ Chuck Palahniuk ~

Motivating people with scare tactics feels cheap to me. The you-better-do-this-or-else approach lacks faith and open-mindedness. There are multiple ways to go about things, and not one "right" way, but many. So believing in people and trusting in them to find their way  beyond our limited vision for them is the real gift we have to give, and loving encouragement goes much farther than threats.

I motivate others with unconditional love. 

WHEN IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER

"Life is good." 

 ~ The Life is Good Company :) ~

What a pleasure to be alive- to be bursting with ideas and full of energy, amped up, and enjoying the progressive steps forward into all possibility, intuitive innovation, and the manifestation of our sweetest dreams!

I claim my potential and infuse my vision with life.

SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND

"Charity sees the need, not the cause." 

~ German Proverb ~

It makes us feel good to be of service to others- to be helpful and share ideas and make suggestions, so why do we hesitate to ask when we need help? It's as if we are afraid we will be swallowed up somehow, or become irreparably obligated in a weighty, burdensome kind of way; but it's far more likely that we will simply get... help.

Whatever I need, I ask for it.

EXAGGERATED REALITY

"If you add to the truth, you subtract from it." 

~ The Talmud ~

I make things into bigger deals than they are, and I do it with abandon and enthusiasm. I magnify the import of meetings and meanings and the metering out of praise, when the only one they really matter to is me.

I don't blow things out of proportion, but stay cool, and calm and appreciate them exactly as they are.

CLEAR, CONCISE, AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND

"Simplicity is the final achievement." 

~ Frederic Chopin ~

I used to believe that there was artistic value in things that are obscure and difficult to understand, including people, but I have amended my belief. The purest art, it seems to me these days, lacks pretense of any kind and is clearly accessible, and provocative- yes- but not confusing or convoluted.
     In a complex technological world of massive inner-connectivity, social posturing, jockeying for position everywhere we turn, and brains that are assaulted daily with information overload, there is great value in what is straightforward, simple, and easy to understand.

I appreciate the value of simplicity.

THE TRUTH INSIDE

"Your heart knows your song." 

~ Sue Rock ~

Answers to all of the questions we have are inside us, but we have to quiet the noise and distraction enough to hear and to know. The opinions of others, the powers of justification and denial, our own self-doubt, and critical voices in our heads from our past create a cacophony of chaos around our decision making abilities, but as soon as we make them all hush, the truth of our inner knowing is revealed. And it comes like a breath of fresh air, and with a feeling of deep relief.

I trust myself to know what's best for me.

SUMMER INTO FALL

"Mother Nature has a canvas for every season." 

~ Terri Guillemets ~

I love these pre-fall days of light. It's too warm still to really be fall yet, but it's in the air, lurking. There's a hint of it in the lengthening shadows and the crisper morning air, and it's a whole new lease on life: refreshment, beauty, and promise just ahead.

I am aware of the changing light and appreciate the transitioning season.

FLUID BOUNDARIES

"Life always bursts the boundaries of formulas." 

~ Antoine de Saint Exupery ~

Boundaries are healthy for good living, but are not meant to fortress us in, or be solid brick walls. In dealing with human beings, they need to be more mutable than that, and revisited and renewed frequently. We change. Others change. Life softens us, or hardens us, depending, and forgiveness and love are ever evolving features of a conscious life.

I keep my boundaries up but allow them to be fluid and dynamic in order to accommodate the changing currents of energy and of life.

BEING LESS THAN WE ARE

"If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment." 

~ Henry David Thoreau ~

I sometimes feel let down by people. I expect them to be other than they are- more noble, more loyal, more industrious, more sincere. And so, when they are small-minded, sloppy, lazy, and false, I feel stung and disappointed, as if it's personal to me, which, of course, it is not. Still, it does make me sad. We all have so much promise- unlimited promise! and so often, by our own error, or lack of belief, we fall distressingly short.

I accept that we are all human, and it's likely my expectations that need adjusting rather than the world itself. 

TRIGGERS

"Take annoyances in stride."

~ Richard E. Turner

I can be feeling confidant and on top of the world and one small thing- an interaction with an unfriendly other, a disappointing meal, the dog being needy- can trigger me into a funk. It's like a cloud that covers the sun. I am temporarily shadowed. And I suppose I can't stop the effect of the triggers, but what I can do is allow them to pass.

When I feel myself suddenly disgruntled, I let it be and don't resist it. I breathe and trust and let time move me forward.

TOO QUICK TO JUDGE

"Contempt prior to investigation keeps a man in everlasting ignorance." 

~ Herbert Spencer ~

We think we know so much- about people, situations, what everything means, and the reason things are the way they are. And we shut the door on so many opportunities by being truculent and locking them out of consideration or possibility before they've even had a chance to breathe air, or to properly speak.

I make sure I understand what's being offered before I accept or decline.

ORGANIC EVOLUTION

"They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea." 

~ Francis Bacon ~

Some things are helped by critique and appraisal and discussion, but others are better left to evolve organically on their own.

When my intuitive, creative projects are in the gestation stage, I protect them from too much outside opinion and interference.

STEPPING UP

"If it's going to be, it's going to be me." 

~ American Proverb ~

I have a tendency to think big shot people will somehow swoop down and give me the break I long for, like winning the networking lottery- that my ship will come in if I just meet the right influential individual. And maybe that's true, but maybe it's not.
     If I want specific results, I have to work for them. No matter how much I want to believe it's otherwise, no one cares as much about my dreams and aspirations as I do, so it's up to me to make them a reality.

I stop waiting for other people to make things happen for me, and make them happen for myself.

E-MAIL INTEGRITY

"Haste makes waste." 

~ Ben Franklin ~

Cursory responses to e-mails just to respond are almost as bad as no response at all. I think we need to be mindful of our purpose and intentions. If we seek to stay on top of our incoming mail, that's admiral, but if we are so fast with our returns that we don't take the time to absorb or appreciate what is actually being said in the original e-mail, then we miss the mark we're aiming for. A hasty reply that in no way addresses the content we're replying to dismisses our customers and contacts rather than showing them that we care.

I make sure my actions are in alignment with my true intentions, and manage my business with the care it deserves.

LITTLE ADJUSTMENTS MAKE THE BIG TURN

"Inch by inch, row by row..." 

~ The Garden Song ~

We think we need time off- to sleep, to relax, to play, to dream, but maybe what we really need is a more relaxed and playful approach to our lives. Perhaps, what's really called for is a slightly earlier bed-time, a sense of humor, an ability to enjoy whatever is happening and find the fun in it, and a need to plan activities in the midst of our busy-ness that incorporate our passion, our enthusiasm, and our vision for the future.
     So often we think it's the BIG fix that's called for- the dramatic shift that promises to change everything. And yet, more often than not, it's the little adjustments over time that make the big fix an actual reality.

I stay the course on the small adjustments in my life towards better living, and trust them to make the big change I long for over time.

CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT DOES NOT SERVE

"Professionalism is a frame of mind, not a paycheck." 

~ Cecil Castle ~

How, as polite customers, are we supposed to deal with hostile, or unhelpful customer service representatives? When calmly pointing out our problem seems to instigate annoyance in the person before us, or on the phone, who is there to be of service, what are our options? Getting annoyed doesn't help. And neither does anger, extreme patience, or even common sense.
     The truth is that as customers, we are often mistreated- told we are wrong, that what we want is not possible to do (even if we've done it before), that what clearly is actually is not (the cold coffee is freshly brewed- I just made it)...
     Of course, good customer service exists as well, and is always a pleasure, but when we are faced with difficult people in the service business, what should our strategy be?

I experiment with myriad approaches when dealing with unhelpful people, and hope that by showing them consideration and understanding, that they might respond in kind.

THE POWER OF DECISION

"To decide is to walk facing forward with nary a crick in your neck from looking back at the crossroads." 

~ Betsy C. Garmon ~

The most powerful personal growth that we can experience comes from our making an initial decision- that we will no longer betray ourselves, overeat, lie, settle for less than we deserve, or whatever our decision may be. We have to stop caring so much what other people think, or do, and decide for ourselves what we want and what's best for us. And then, once we know, we can work towards it, doggedly, like a beaver building his dam.

I make the decision to do what it takes to achieve the results that I want.

THE POWER OF LANGUAGE

"Words are flowing out 

Like endless rain into a paper cup

They slither while they pass

They slip away across the universe." 

~ The Beatles ~

Words have power- to hurt, to uplift, to incite, and to soothe. Let's use them wisely, consciously, and with great care.

I choose my words mindfully, knowing that they have a life beyond me.

POOR ME

"I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will." 

~ Charlotte Bronte~

Allowing our loved ones to be victims around us turns us into victims as well. The poor me attitude spreads like a virus, or worse yet, the plague. We compete for who's got it worse, as if there is some kind of victory in that, and it sinks us both like boats with holes.
     Let's encourage and empower each other instead; being compassionate, and understanding of life's difficulties, but not collapsing under them. Let's lift each other up!  It feels so much better that way, and leads us to the top, and the view, and the glory, and the hope.

At any time, I have the power to change my attitude and my experience of life.

CRISP LIVING

"Politeness is like an air-cushion- there amy be nothing in it, but it wonderfully eases the joltings along the rough road of life." 

~ HW Beecher ~

There is a great lack of integrity in the world- a trend towards carelessness in work and communication, personal habits, customer service, impeccability, loyalty, and the art of being polite. It is such a pleasure when we come across these things, but sadly, more often than not, they seem to be the exception rather than the rule.

I bring integrity and impeccability to all that I do.

BEING FRIENDLY

"Don't wait for people to be friendly. Show them how." 

~ Author Unknown

Being friendly makes us friends. Being friendly builds trust, lightens the burden of life, spreads happiness, and just feels good. So why aren't we friendlier? Why do we scowl and judge and critique others? Why are we so grouchy when we're grouchy? Why do we take our frustration out on innocent others? Why are we downright mean?
     Let's not be. It's a simple decision and a choice. Let's choose to be friendly. We're worth it, and so are the people we encounter every day.

I am friendly and pleasant as I go about the business of my life.

THE NATURAL LEVEL OF THINGS

"Cream rises to the top." 

~ American Idiom ~

Everything finds its level. What is bright and brilliant and makes an opulent impression upon us initially often fades, and sometimes, the very thing we miss on first contact grows and steadies and becomes bright. Or maybe, it was bright all along and we just missed it because we were distracted by all of the noise in our heads, and the attention grabbing nature of flash and bling. But consistency wins out in the end, every time, and the truth will always out, because that's the nature of truth. And this fact, I believe, is no less a law than gravity, or relativity, or the natural progression of summer coming after the spring.

I trust the truth of things to be revealed in the end.

CHURNING TIME

"'Old Times' never come back and I suppose it's just as well." 

~ George F. Woodberry ~

The weeks and weekends come and go so fast. We churn through them like a bush-hog cuts down a field of tall grass. But the grass grows again, just as our days and weeks turn into months and years. The secret, it seems to me, and the pleasure, comes in not living for future goodness, but in appreciating the delicacies, delights and even the dangers du jour.

I needn't anticipate the future. Each day presents opportunity enough.

MORNING DELIGHT

"Through blackest night, morning gently tiptoes, feeling its way to dawn." 

~ Robert Brault ~

I used to be a night-owl, but given the nature of my job the last ten years or so, that's changed. I prefer the morning now, when it's so early that it's still dark. It feels hopeful to me, and fresh; quiet, and pleasantly expectant. Anything could happen in the hours ahead.
     By night, I am worn out and my sharpness fades. It's not the deep sweetness for me that it once was. And I am ok with that. Change is as it should be, and being a morning person now is good in its own kind of sweet way.

I love the fresh possibilities of early morning.

RELATIONSHIP

"Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it's a comfort to go hand in hand." 

~ Emily Kimbrough ~

Everything is relationship- relationship with self, with others, with community, with food and exercise, with habitual patterns, and with God, however we understand God. We can't isolate ourselves from interaction with the world and the things and people of the world without uncomfortable consequences. And this is a good thing, and a blessing, because so much interaction means that help, support and encouragement are always available to us, and a solution to whatever ails us as close as our willingness to reach out.

I claim my part in the dynamic and inter-related human experience.

IRKSOME REALITIES

"Humor is the good natured side of a truth." 

~ Mark Twain ~

Diminishing lanes marked by cones for roadwork make me irritable, as does strong perfume, people giving me advice when I haven't asked for it, being asked to do a favor when my plate is already overfull, and thick humidity that will not quit.

    Deep breathing helps some, as does movement, telling on myself, and the ability to laugh out loud. Life is full of irritants and none of it is personal to me, so I best learn to roll with it or find myself squished instead.

I keep a sense of humor over the small annoyances of life.

THE POWER OF NO

"The art of leadership is saying no." 

~ Tony Blair ~

We do not have to say yes to everything, nor should we. No sets our limits and boundaries and protects us from burnout, resentment, whining, and the curse of martyrdom.

I honor myself whenever I need to by saying no with clarity and confidence.

THE STEW-POT OF LIFE

"There's a reason you were born and a bunch of things you've got to do today regardless." 

~ Robert Brault ~

Sometimes I'm unsure and a good night's sleep gives me clarity. Sometimes my irritability vanishes as soon as my stomach is full. Sometimes I can slow down and experience a moment of quiet and relief, and sometimes I'm just off and no matter what I do, the off-ness remains.
     All is eternally shifting and swaying, rising and falling, ebbing out and ebbing in. Life is an ever-cooking stew-pot of the most unlikely things in perfect balance.

My life is a summer mix of challenges and good things.

THE INEVITABLE

"There is an unseen life that dreams us. It knows our true direction and destiny. We can trust ourselves more than we realize, and we need have no fear of change." 

~ John O'Donohue ~

If something is meant to be, it will be. Light will shine on the path and we will be shown the way. We will hear the resonating idea, and know it on first hearing. If we trust in our calling, it will, inevitably, lead us home.

I know and trust in the timing that presents itself, and the next right step to take.

HOW WE RESPOND

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be." 

~ Grandma Moses ~

We can make life as simple or as purpose driven and accomplishment oriented as we choose, but it's important to remember that it is our choice. We are not bludgeoned into goal setting, or battered over the head if we don't pursue our dreams. It's an inner mindset and an external choice that determines our state of focused attention, self-pity, or play.

I take full responsibility for choosing the intensity level of my life.

REALNESS

"Your time is limited so don't waste it living someone else's life." 

~ Steve Jobs ~

Being exactly who we are is the best strategy no matter the situation. Our willingness to be visibly human, vulnerable, and fully fallible gives others a sense of hope and comfort- that they are not alone, that we are all imperfect, and that it's ok to be real. Realness rocks and resonates. Realness is refreshing, and never gets old.

I have the courage to be myself.

THE POWER OF EASE

"I come into the peace of the wild things who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief... 

For a time I rest in the grace of the world and am free." 

~ Wendell Berry ~

So many of us seem to be high-strung, highly stressed, and generally over-taxed. In fact, we can become so fretful and uptight that we sabotage ourselves and interfere with the flow of energy in our lives. We block ourselves with worry, self-imposed pressure, and perfectionism. And none of this serves us.
     The irony is that if we back off and ease up- if we truly let go of needing to prove ourselves and keeping up with everything; if we can relax, then we release trapped and stifled energy, and good can come to us, and does, of it's very own accord.

I stop insisting on everything being just so and allow for ease in my life. 

OVERCOMING STRUGGLING

"We should give cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers." 

~ Seneca ~

Struggling to prove our worth to ourselves or others is energy recklessly expended. Our worth is a given, and we would do far better expressing our talents than trying needlessly to earn them. 

I take ownership of who I am and all that I have to offer. 

ALL AROUND US

"Nature never did betray the heart that loved her." 

~ William Wordsworth ~

I am grateful to live in a beautiful part of the world with mountains and big trees, farms, livestock, fertile ground, and lots of history. I believe there is some kind of beauty in every landscape, but the rolling hills and pastoral setting that surround me on all sides most days suits my spirit just right.

I appreciate the natural setting in which I live. 

WHAT USED TO BE

"Memory is a crazy woman that hoards colored rags and throws away food." 

~ Austin O'Malley ~

I feel changed from what I once was. I am grown now, in depth and heart and understanding. And places change in the same way. They evolve and transform so that what was once familiar no longer is, and what made sense to the person I once was no longer does. Old home-towns are haunted with memories. What was once one thing is now something entirely else.

I understand that everything in life is change and process and growth. 

WHAT SCARES ME THE MOST

"You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith." 

~ Mary Manin Morrissey ~

I am more worried about not doing what I'm afraid of than doing it. From where I sit now, giving in to my fear and playing small is the scariest possibility there is.

I walk into my fear and don't let it stop me.

OUR COMMONALITY

"On this shrunken globe, men can no longer live as strangers." 

 ~ Adlai E. Stevenson ~

We all have so much more in common than we realize. Understanding this, when meeting someone new, let's lead with compassion instead of mis-trust.

I give everyone I meet the benefit of the doubt.

PROPER ALIGNMENT

"Why do anything other than love?" 

~ Johnathan Dahl ~

It's enough to live our own lives- to do our best, honor our truth, and find our way. That's a full time job. And yet, we try to manage other people's lives as well. We plan and calculate and figure for them- what they should do, how and when they should do it... but that's operating out of alignment with the universe. Love is letting go and trusting, not pestering and prodding and suggesting until we are sick from it, and spreading our sickness like a disease.

I take care of what is mine to take care of, and trust others to do the same. 

ADVENTURE AND EXPLORATION

"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." 
~ John A. Shedd ~

Exploring new territory is a soul expanding proposition. New views are enlarging and inspiring. There is delight in fresh and heretofore unknown towns and countryside, and all of the opportunity and possibility that they represent. We tend to stay so close to home most of the time that we miss our alternative options.

I venture out into the world in which I live. 

SETTING LIMITS

"Wisdom consists in not exceeding the limit." 
~ Elbert Hubbard ~

We enable others when we refuse to set healthy boundaries with them. We give them the idea that they can do whatever they please with completely free rein and no consequences, but this is not accurate, nor is it reasonable. Consequences exist for all of us. Let's keep that at the forefront of our minds and establish our willingness and limits accordingly.

I protect myself from feeling used by saying no, not that way, and not now.

THE UPSIDE OF EXPECTATIONS

"Anything you lose comes round in another form." 

~ Rumi ~

Expectations are a funny thing. More often than not, they are an inaccurate guide, and yet, they serve their purpose. They hold us to certain standards and make us more vigilant and impeccable than we might otherwise be.

I allow my high expectations to hold me accountable to high standards.

SELF-WORTH

"Why are you so enchanted by this world, when a mine of gold lies within you?" 

~ Rumi ~

We are responsible for the way the world perceives our value. If we constantly undersell and discount ourselves we will have a lot less respect than if we accurately measure our worth. We are priceless and unrepeatable. There is no other individual on earth who can offer exactly what we do.

I properly value the contribution I have to make.

WHOLESOME ALIGNMENT

"Nice up yo'self inna de riddim of life." 

~ Third World ~

Consistently performing positive actions aligns us with the wholesome and repetitive nature of life. Just as the sun rises and sets, we exercise our bodies and quiet our minds, pursue noble causes, and commune compassionately with others.
     Erratic, wildly spontaneous behavior has its place, much like a hurricane or a tornado, but must, by necessity, return again to steady and sustainable forward progress. To try to live in an erratic way is a recipe for chaos.

I consistently engage in life-affirming activities.

SUSTAIN

"Bad habits are easier to abandon today than tomorrow." 

~ Yiddish Proverb ~

Once you start, keep going.

Sustain your momentum.

Build consistency.

Sustain fitness and well-being.

Sustain positivity and faith.

And then keep on with it, forming new habits.

Shift your life and continue to shift your life in the way that you want it to shift.

I sustain positive attitudes and behaviors in order to experience a rich and fulfilling life.

START

"Come out here where the roses have opened. Let soul and world meet." 

~ Rumi ~

Now. Start.

Start believing in what’s possible.

Start envisioning yourself exactly where you want to be.

Start taking specific daily action steps in the direction you want to go.

Start taking even better care of yourself, your body, and your dreams,

And start loving the process of personal evolution and the rhythmical nature of time.

Start with one step, and then take another and another.

I start doing the next right thing to propel me in the direction I want to go. 

STOP

"Come, whoever you are! Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. This is not a caravan of despair. It doesn't mater if you've broken your vow a thousand times, still and yet again come! 

~ Rumi ~

Is there anything you want to change in your life or in your business?

If there is, stop making excuses.

Stop second-guessing yourself.

Stop giving in to fear.

Stop whining, stop blaming, and stop all behaviors that serve you not. 

I stop doing the things that are keeping me stuck.

ONE LESS THING

"No matter how you hurry, you will notice at the end of the day that you traveled at the speed of time." 

~ Robert Brault ~

So much stress in our lives is caused by rushing, by overfilling our hours and minutes and moving as quickly as we can through them. We feel the pressure of the next thing and the next. It's a tense way to live.
     When we stop the cycle by making a decision to do even one less thing, the space that appears is delicious and full of possibility. It's breathing room and a taste of letting go. This is something we need to practice over and over and over to improve the quality of our lives.

I do less and enjoy my life more.

LIVING IN BALANCE

"Happiness is a place between too little and too much." 

~ Finnish Proverb ~

I have a desire to check everything off of my to do list- to have everything done for now, put away, and tied up with a bow. It's satisfying to be productive, and relaxing to know how much I've accomplished of what I set out to do.
     Equally important, however, and equally enjoyable, is doing nothing; is listening to what I can hear, taking a walk for the pleasure of it, singing along with a song I love and dancing to the beat, sitting, snoozing, and just allowing myself to be.

Doing and being both have their place in my life and I enjoy them in balanced measure.