Spaces in Between

In the past few days I’ve noticed that I’ve had these paradoxical thoughts and sensations like “hurry up and wait” or “everything to do and nothing to do”.  It is a fascinating place and calming in some regard.  I feel at peace with these sensations and I wonder if it is because I intuitively know that everything will get done exactly how it should when it needs to be done.

I’ve read about the concept of the spaces, or the energy between things…I could find it but then this post wouldn’t get written.  Let’s just use the metaphor of the ‘pull’ you feel when a magnet is about to attach it’s opposing charge.

It is a magical and seemingly palpable place between here and there, or the time between now and then….if you stop to notice that space and ponder it, it has a calming and wonder-full feel to it.  Even the space between asking/praying for something and getting it has a similar quality…if we relax and ‘soft focus’ on the space we will feel the ‘knowing tug’ that it is all taken care of, in the ways it needs to be, in the time it needs to get done…perhaps the feeling state can be called grace or faith…something to ponder.

I am reminded of the quote I call upon often these days:

All Shall Be Well,

and All Shall Be Well,

and All Manner of Things Shall Be Well

Julian of Norwich

Change is a’comin’

Life is about to get really interesting for me. I am looking forward to the changes while also grieving the loss of what I have grown to know and love.

I have been sitting on the potential of these changes for a while and the intensity of thoughts and sensations of anticipation are fascinating.

As I am well versed in knowing that I can change my thoughts and hence my feelings, I’ve worked with a myriad of modalities to address my anxiety and stress.  Here are a few; Intentional Resting, Ho’oponopono, self coaching, breathing techniques, affirmations, meditating, exercise etc.  I find that some days I am better at releasing the pressure, and others…wine is all I have as my tool.

One additional technique that works for me is writing.  So, I intend to write regularly and I am looking forward to it.  I used writing the last time I was in a Dissolving-type scenario (the initial stage of change in Martha Beck’s 4-stage Change Cycle).  I wrote daily for 3 years when I was having a bit of an identity crisis which led me to coaching and an amazing new perspective on just about everything (my old blog is www.happinessandmoonshine.blogspot.com) . Writing worked for me then, so why not now?

My mantra for today is BREATHE AND RELEASE!

 

Leap

Almost a full month has gone.

How strange that I pick the one extra day of this month to re-engage here.

Leap Day = lots of frog references online today!

In the animal totem world, frog = transformation; it symbolizes coming into your personal power.

I’m thinking that the theme for March will be re-acquainting with my personal power.  Given that March is my birthday month, activating my personal power seems pretty groovy.  Wanna’ join me?

Personal Power activate!  In the form of a FROG! Boing!

Autopilot

It might be the full moon and it might be just plain ole being human, but today I was in a funk.  There were loads of moments in my day where I could have given in and given up…but I didn’t. 

I got my kids off to school alive (always a bit check mark on my to do list).  I went to the gym (an easy one to take OFF my list).  Additionally, I got several significant ‘no fun’ items done.  On top of all that, I reduced the Mount Ranier sized pile of laundry to a hill. 

I am not writing this to stroke my ego; I’m writing this in a bit of shock and awe.  I really don’t know how I got from here to there in terms of my motivation and drive to get things done, despite the desire to crawl in bed for the full day.  In fact, I did crawl in bed for a 20 minute nap and still was able to get up and contribute today. 

My hunch is that my normal ‘trick-myself-into-doing-things’ was on autopilot today and I was able to set small goals to get a little done which then lead to more than expected getting accomplished.

I am excited to see that it just might be possible to have habits become so fluid that you don’t have to do the pep talks and pats on backs after a while.  Another possibility is that the full moon actually HELPED me take action even in my depleted energy.  That possibility is fine with me too…because I like looking at the check marks on my list (the list remained in my head today – I couldn’t be bothered to write it down).

Change It Up!

This morning I was out of my house by 7am (this is SO not normal for me).  I witnessed the lingering pink sky of sunrise and a felt a spark of inspiration. 

Where else can I change my pattern of behavior and find undiscovered surprises? 

What if I set an intention to do something differently at least once a week….AND notice what I see/feel/hear/taste/smell/intuit?  For example, today I realized that the cotton candy pink of a sunrise lifts my spirits, AND I accessed a realization that mixing things up in my daily routine and my surroundings actually gets my juices flowing.  In fact, I have started to work outside my home in coffee shops.  This change in scenery has proven to increase my productivity and given me access to ideas and stimulation that I could not have found in my home office. 

Today’s ”a-ha” reminds me of Martha Beck’s discussion on the Eureka Effect which she has written about on her blog, in her book, and shared in this video.  This awareness has gone even deeper today than an ‘a-ha’.  By chance in a peer-coaching call, I was presented with an opportunity to inspire someone else to consider the Eureka Effect for herself.  As if my ‘a-ha’ came at perfectly the right time to share the same learning with someone else at possibly the perfect time for her (to which I say FABULOUS).

So…my question I end with (because I like ending with questions), what can you do to change your perspective to be able to see your problem/situation in a different light?  You might see something as fun as a cotton candy cloud or even better, you might find that ever-elusive solution you’ve been looking for!  Either way, you will be inspired!

 

Your Body Knows

I’m really trying to trust my intuition more.  I have a an amazing intuition-navigation-device…and so do you.

In the Martha Beck coaching lingo, we call it the Body Compass.  It is a simple and powerful tool for navigating the big and small decisions in our lives. 

Speaking for myself, the more I’ve acquainted myself with my personal body compass the more I can tune into my body’s signals for the ‘hot and cold’ game of deciding what is a right next step for me.  At the moment my physical cues are full body chills (you know the kind that you get when you hear a really beautiful story).  I get those at very odd times and it usually when someone is telling me something that is their truth, or when I’ve accessed mine.  Additionally, if I’m considering something and my throat closes up, I know that is an invitation to look deeper at the situation to see why it isn’t right for me (and consider ditching it all together).

I often ask myself…what would it mean for me to ONLY operate from my intuition.  I’ve tried it a lot and then I forget and go back to my old ways of forcing things, looking outside myself for answers and just bumbling around not paying attention to the messages my body gives me. 

Ultimately, to be able to operate from intuition I can see that developing a consistent practice of connecting with the stillness within me through meditation and connection with nature will be useful.  I am learning more about these practices through Martha Beck’s new book Finding Your Way in a Wild New World, especially in the sections called Wordlessness and Oneness. 

I may be romanticizing what my life would be like with a purely intuitive approach, but I believe that IS how we connect with our authentic path; by connecting with that inner knowing.  As much as it sounds super-airy-fairy-loosy-goosy, for me it also paradoxically feels very practical and from the ‘here-and-now’.  Who knows best about what is right for your life than YOU. 

If you’re curious about the Body Compass tool, contact me and I can run a Tool Time Tuesday session on it!  Bring your friends along too! 

I also invite you to share your ideas about intuition here…I am deeply intrigued by this topic and would love to learn more!

Inadequate

I sat down to write and realized that today is one of those days that I might want to be more eloquent and inspiring because we are celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   All over Facebook and Twitter there are amazing references to the significance of this day.  As I read these posts, my confidence and desire to write withered to a walnut-sized lump in my throat.  My voice was stifled both figuratively and literally and I found that fascinating.  I HAVE written about this day before, but today, I find I am silenced.  Just as Dr. King was April 4, 1968. 

Today, I feel that my words would be trite and inadequate and possibly inauthentic (authenticity is one of my top values).  So, here I sit with my inner critic and my lump in my throat and I still write because, that is what I love to do.  This is no “I have a dream…” post but it is someone writing, being authentic and noticing what ‘gunk’ that is brought to the surface.  That feels like a start…it feels like the only step I can take right now (except maybe not writing, I guess).  I did a search for quotes from MLK that would represent what I am experiencing at this moment and here is what I found:

“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”

I celebrate all that Dr. King accomplished, all that he stood for, and all that still lives on through his spirit, words and the cultural legacy he created.

Perchance to Dream

I had a sleeping problem (notice the “had”…my hope this remains a true statement). In the past 3 years (and probably longer), I have not had great sleep hygiene.  I would sleep on the couch.  I would sleep with the TV on.  I would sleep on the couch, move to the bed and be wide awake until morning.  That felt good to get that off of my chest. 

The “problem” was that I was in resistance to my sleeping issue.  I had many “shoulds” about sleeping (which I actually agree with but for some reason the story around them created a nasty cycle). The things I didn’t like were…TV on all night is a power suck, TV’s subliminal messages are bad, sleeping on the couch is unhygienic, sleeping on the couch sends the wrong message to the kids, sleeping on the couch sends the wrong message to the husband, sleeping on the couch makes for a bad night’s sleep, ‘they say’ that good sleep habits help with weight maintenance….need I go on?  I could!

 I do believe at some point I came into acceptance about the problem…instead of my past tendency to ’white knuckle’ through a solution and beat myself up when it didn’t quite work out. 

For about a month now, I have not had this problem….it was close the other day…but I nipped it in the bud.  Whew!  So, what has changed for me?

1. I had a change in pattern when we traveled where I didn’t feel comfortable sleeping on someone else’s couch.
2. I had a change in pattern in which I was timezone challenged so I wanted to go to bed at reasonable times.
3. I have been having healthy green smoothie drinks (with spinach and other good for you stuff).
4. I have increased my fitness level a bit (not a lot though).
5. I have been trying to have a regular schedule where I get done what I say I want to accomplish (in chunks of 3) every day. AND I reward myself for it.
6. I don’t watch TV as much any more (Oprah is creating a challenge for me as she is creating even more inspiring things for me to watch on OWN…drat).
7. I bought a new pillow that I adore!

I think over time I was creating a bigger desire for change than I realized, and it came from a pure “essential self” perspective (a Martha Beck term for intrinsic/intuitive desire) versus my past “social self” ones (all my shoulds and stories about how bad it was).

So…what is the result of this almost organic change? 

1. I am not tired during the day.
2. I don’t have all the nasty stories in my head…I have super proud stories now.
3. I feel like I get more done.
4. I think I might be eating less (but that could also be a New Year kinda’ thing).
5. I wake up next to my awesome husband every morning.
6. I read more (because I go to bed with a book to wind down).
7. I have had some AWESOME DREAMS.

Dreams are like magic in the Martha Beck tribe.  We love to examine them and see the deeper meaning they have.  I have a folder full of documented dreams that I am excited to piece apart one by one.  I think now that I have my pillow to look forward to and the enticement of a chance to dream….I think I just might have a sleeping habit!  I like to sleep in my bed now! 

Speaking of magic….I am facilitating an experiential book review of Martha Beck’s new book Finding Your Way in a Wild New World starting January 16….check it out and sign up.  This book has been inspiring me on a daily basis since I got it on the book launch date, December 27, 2011.  I’m excited to share the experience with others!

A Pink Cadillac and a Raven

My dear friend and dare I say soul sister (hi Beverly) is a gifted human being.  I have experienced her gifts on a consistent basis for the past 2+ years and I would like to tell you how a recent session with her has pushed me into inspired action (and then some).

In an effort to explore my “why” (essentially my purpose for doing what I love to do and basically the essence of how I ”show up” in life), Beverly led me through a guided visualization (can also be called guided meditation).  Her amazing gift of leading me on a path of discovery involved many twists and turns and surprising discoveries, but at the core of it there was a PINK CADILLAC and a RAVEN and both had significance.  The Raven turned out to be my companion in my Cadillac travels and it came to represent my intuition.  The Cadillac represents my ability to enjoy the journey of life and the possibilities it holds. 

At the end of my visualization I was headed on a new road with the Raven by my side and a sense of excitement for the adventures that lay ahead…I experienced joy (not fear) when considering that I didn’t know where the road led….it wasn’t about the destination, it was about the journey.  It sounds so very cliché when I write that, I’ve heard that a million times, but I truly believe that is what motivates me.  I suspect that my life as a Navy brat provided me the gift of not ‘sweating’ the unknown because, the unknown came often as we moved here, there and everywhere. 

So….one could read the story above and say ‘whoop-de-do’ you had a dreamlike experience and found out that you like the journey – now what?  At the time I didn’t know what was next….but the next came in the form of a 9pm-3am session of idea generation and website content (I like to call it inspired action).  I looked at the clock at 12pm and then at 3am and never once said “this sucks” or ”I’m tired”.  It felt as if I had someone else inside me creating a lot of content and plans for me, my website and potentially my year of doing what I love.  It was kind of scary because I didn’t know I wanted to do many of the things that came out of that marathon session…I have thought about taking some of the content off my site…but instead have decided “why not give it a go?”  I am excited to see where the road leads and enjoy the journey (even the potential roadblocks and speed bumps). 

So….this is where I invite you to take a look around on this website, see if anything is interesting to you.  If it isn’t interesting to you, maybe share with a friend or two who might benefit.  I have some free events (Tool-Time Tuesdays and Book Love), some discounted programs (check out the Test Kitchen), and of course if you want to invest in one-on-one support I have options too.  The other really big event for me is that I am hosting an experiential book review of Martha Beck’s recently released book Finding Your Way in a Wild New World. 

I write and photograph often (the content is all mine), so come back and visit or sign up (to the right) to be notified when I add a new post.  Finally, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have…..and now….

I will be putting the top down on my pink Cadillac, tossing a snack to my Raven (I need a name for it)…and putting the car in drive….join me for the ride!

Giving it my ALL

First of the year. Time to set intentions….as I usually do.  Here is the post from last year if you don’t believe me! 

I had been on a ONE-word roll for several years but this past December many words came to me, so I decided to roll with it.  Luckily, I have a supporter in the MANY-word intention department.  Not that I needed one.

Here is what came to me….and conveniently, I have a nice acronym to use as a reminder:

1. ABUNDANCE (really the words, notice abundance, came to me) 
2. LOVE (a go to question for me is; “what would love do in this moment?”, so why not “choose love”)
3. LIGHT (this word came to me early and was confusing at first but here is what it means to me now; be-light, de-light, en-light, show-my-light)

What words are speaking to you this year?  Do share!

AND…if you’d like to know more about what I’m up to, check out my classes, my services and my test kitchen.   Of special note is my book discussion of Martha Beck’s newest book Finding Your Way in a Wild New World. This teleclass takes place over 4 Mondays (1/16, 23, 30 and 2/6).