I love it when…

I love it when I think of something and then I see it in real life in some form.  

Today is one of those days that thoughts became things spontaneously.  Just today I thought that we need more umbrellas in our house, and UMBRELLAS were the parting gift at a networking event.  While riding the Metro, I saw that Gallup has job opportunities:  as I ascended the stairs of the Metro stop, the GALLUP OFFICE was the first building I saw.  At work, I updated my Linkedin profile linking to my high school in Iceland (A.T. Mahan) and just now I found that an old HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND from Iceland commented on my Facebook page.

What I attribute this to is alignment, flow, and a hint to where my ‘sweet spot’ is for attracting what I want in my life.  It also shows me that I am paying attention and it amps my desire to create more of the same.  Good things are coming my way…and I am ready for them.

Haiku time

I love when things flow

With ease and grace to show me

I am supported

Future Focus

For a total of 24 hours, I am babysitting a newly adopted 8 month old Cock-a-poo named Harley.  This is in addition to my one year old ‘mutt’.

My thoughts about how difficult today was going to be were much worse than the reality.  The day was actually reasonable.  The puppies tolerated/played with each other….to the point of exhaustion.  They now are flat-out on the floor at my feet.

There are several other situations in my life that have a continuum of potential outcomes from easy to terrible…and my mind is trying to write stories of the bad outcomes…and then I have to consciously bring myself to the truth of this very moment.  The truth is, the event does not exist in this moment and that the negative outcome is only in my mind.

Choosing a peaceful possibility is in my control in the moment and I choose to create that story…for now. Here is how I do it…in the form of  5 Rs.

1. recognize the negative future-focus
2. remind myself I can choose another possibility
3. reframe the thought to either a neutral or positive outcome
4. release the thoughts of the future altogether
5. re-engage in the moment at hand.

This is a lifelong practice.  For some unknown reason to me, the brain has a habit of going toward the negative future outcome.  The only purpose I can see for this is to have a sense of being prepared for the worst.

Instead of preparing for the worst, what I would prefer to do is to create the CONSISTENT story that says…

I am resourceful and will meet each situation with the intent to create as much peace for myself (and others) as possible.  Therefore,  I can trust myself and release the need to prepare for the worst.

Up NEXT…creating the story that tonight’s sleep is restful because Harley sleeps through the night!

Celebrating Self

Today I ran a workshop on Self Esteem that I had a great time creating.  I had even more fun facilitating it.  I was in my element from start to finish (minus the moments of self-doubt and avoidance and perfectionism – and back around).

So, taking from a lesson from the class,  I am celebrating my strengths using I AM statements to wrap up this experience:

I AM resourceful

I AM creative

I AM a planner

I AM able to ask for help

I AM surrounded by amazing friends

I AM good at research

I AM willing to do it “my way”

I AM motivated by making things the most fun I can

I AM able to set great intentions

I AM generous

I AM excellent at connecting.

Here is the feedback from the coordinator:

Thank again so much for coming and doing this session!!! Your gift for reaching people is an AWESOME sight to watch. God has given you a great ability to connect with people and this group of women lives has been enhanced as a result of having you cross their path.

I say a simple THANK YOU to that! (which is another lesson from today – accept compliments simply and graciously).  I would also like to acknowledge that this feedback speaks directly to my CORE VALUE – Authentic and Meaningful Connection

Final note – The words placed after the I AM statement are of utmost importance.  They are ‘facts’ to the brain…so make it GOOD!  Please, if you have read this post…do this for yourself.  It will do loads of good for YOU and those who you influence.  You’re doing the world a favor.

Speaking of favors, on my way to the event, someone bumped my fender.  I got out of the car, and released the woman from any obligation.  I then asked her to pay-it-forward.  She blessed me.  Today is officially a good day!

 

Meaningful Connection

Meaningful connection is my drug of choice.

I cannot get enough of it.  I have been known to say that I am doubtful that I could tire of connecting authentically with people.

I would love to do an experiment to see how long I could go (with bathroom and food breaks) before I am tapped out.  As an extrovert that is not daunting; it is exhilarating.  For an introvert that would most likely sound like torture.  What I would love to do in that time is to meander in a nonlinear way through ideas, issues, solutions, dreams, desires, beliefs that serve and those that don’t and other undiscovered topics in between.  I call these types of talks…circling the wagon (or exploring the issue/opportunity from all angles).

The reason why I mention this is because today I got a “hit” of meaningful connection with a re-acquainted friend.  The purpose of the meeting was to dig deep on a meaningful topic.  My friend had read Byron Katie’s book Loving What Is and wanted to gain more perspective on it.  I LOVE to share what I know, what I think, what I believe, how I see things and then random stuff like animal totems and metaphors.  It is this beautiful exploration of the tapestry of our thoughts, feelings, and experience of our lives: that brings me into a state of ecstasy (still using the ‘drug’ metaphor here).  This drug, I will never say no to!

 

A True Gem

Tonight, we went to a small neighborhood gathering that had a multitude of generations present…18 months to 89 years.  There was also a menagerie of cultures – British, Israeli, Chinese, Indian and of course American.

This was the second annual gathering.  Part of the tradition is to share a story based on the topic suggested by the host.  Tonight we shared stories about our most memorable travel experiences.  Just like last year, I left the party feeling connected, inspired and much the wiser by having engaged with my neighbors in such a meaningful way.

The thing that made the evening that much more rich for me, is that my children chose to listen to the stories (and share their own) versus playing with the younger kids (they were the oldest kids by far).  I loved that they were witnessing authentic connection across many generations, cultures, perspectives and experiences.  These moments are rare and are even more rare for my kiddos.

I remember being so happy and comfortable with adults as a kid and could sit for hours listening to the web of stories being spun.  It came with the job description of a military kid so it helped that I enjoyed it.  I know that is what shaped my ability to connect easily with just about anyone.  I feel so happy to have seen a glimpse of that experience for my kids tonight.  I also look forward to more of the same in our family’s future.

Here’s to connecting, sharing, witnessing and learning.  Throw in amazing stories from an 89-year-old British man who lived in England during both World Wars and you’ve got yourself a gem of an evening.

Lessons in Discomfort

Right before Christmas I got Shingles.

I knew I’d get it some point in my life.  I had heard that those who’ve had a small case of chicken pox would likely get shingles.  So, I somehow knew it would come.  It did!

Here are a few things I gleaned from it.

• I have a tendency to catastrophize things…so when the pain started (before rash), I was brewing a story of cancer in lymph system.
• My husband is not one for talking about medical things, but when I told him of my pain and rash, he diagnosed the shingles! So, my reframe for my husband is that he deals with medical things when it is important.
• I am proud that I took myself into the doctor…my normal mode is to wait it out.  If I had waited, I would not have been able to get the medicine to reduce the symptoms and duration.  My lesson is that I can trust myself to do what I need when I need to, and things work out for me.
• The minute I was officially diagnosed, I DECIDED that I would have a mild case.  I held the belief the whole time…guess what, I had a mild case.
• When I told people of my shingles, I found MANY people have had it.  That is where they would then tell me in detail of their symptoms.  That was a tricky spot for me because I had decided to have a mild case…and focusing on harsh cases didn’t feel like a good place to be.  I held myself neutral and reminded myself that I was going for mild.
• When the significant nerve pain started, it was Christmas-time.  It was a blessing for me to be focusing on myself and not worried about how everyone else was doing.  I stayed right smack in my own business where I belong.  As a result, I had a pleasant family experience (I didn’t say pleasant physical experience).

As I shuttle out the remains of my rash, I feel in some ways blessed to have gotten it out of my system and to have learned a lot about myself in the meantime.  To recap…I learned.

1. Assume the best not the worst
2. Stay in my own business – always.
3. Trust that my husband also has intuition about his own health – and remember #2.
4. Trust my instincts
5. I get to DECIDE how I experience everything (even the seemingly unfortunate)…and in most cases, the experience rises to meet my expectations.
6. When being exposed to topics and information I don’t like…stay neutral and keep mentally focused on what I DO want (change the subject if possible).
7. See blessings in everything.  They are there if I open to them.

In Louise Hay’s book You Can Heal Your Life.  The affirmation for shingles is:

I’m relaxed and peaceful because

I trust the process of life.

All is well in my world.

Hardknock Life

My very first musical I experienced was Annie. I looooooved it and I wore out the record I owned.

Tonight, I saw the local high school’s version of Annie.  The show proved to me that my connection to the play has withstood the test of time.  I can’t say that about other things I’ve loooooved in my past…like parting my hair in the middle and wearing ribbon adorned barrettes on each side (which is probably how I wore my hair to that adored play way back when).

I love that a simple version of a big production can still bring chills to me.   I have been brought to tears and chills on a more regular basis.  I am both getting old and sappy:  AND I know that I am connecting at a deeper level to passion, love and truth.  

When I do connect at that level, it is as if my soul gets a great massage.  I am left refreshed, content and peaceful.  It might be smart for doctors to order a good cry or chill inducing experience (the good-chill kind not the Freddy Kruger kind).

Take a cry and a chill and call me in the morning!

 

 

 

Milking It

Something has opened up for me.

I have been having a flood of ideal scenarios playing out for me.

I have been desiring meaningful connection, collaboration and some direction toward what my next career step will be.  I also have opened up a desire to do volunteer work that is aligned with my coaching/mentoring passion.

1. Just this week I have 3 scheduled calls to discuss forward momentum with my ideal-type of clients (meaningful connection)
2. I have said yes to a workshop for a local nonprofit (collaborate & volunteer)
3. I have gotten 2 mentoring relationships started (volunteer)
4. I have 2 new photography sessions on the books (creativity)
5. AND I have had a response back regarding a possible job (career)

Other fun things are showing up like songs playing that I want to hear, :11 showing up on the clock on a regular basis, and not really related, but my DOG IS CLEAN!

I know how and why this works for me.  I am actually masterful at getting what I want AND also being relaxed when it hasn’t shown up (yet).  I am able to maintain an even energy that allows me to enjoy my simple abundant life while also launching desires and expansion that if it came would be FABULOUS, but if my life maintained its beautiful hum…I would be more than ecstatic.

I have become more and more skilled at playing both ends of the spectrum (simple AND expansive)…and I believe that is why sometimes I have these beautifully aligned periods.  I know that to acknowledge, accept, and honor these times (which can be called “milking it”), boosts the possibility for more of the same (or better!).

I LOVE what this week is bringing.  I LOVE that I can create and accept what comes into my life with ease and joy.  I LOVE sharing how this works with others.  Pretty amazing!

(picture is from my 15 year anniversary trip to Cambodia – one of my favorite trips ever!)

Prophetic Piles

Every Monday, I have a standing date with two other soul-mates.  We spend between 90 – 150 minutes exploring the current place in this game called life and specifically in our business endeavors.  It is an amazing gift we have chosen to give ourselves and we have rarely missed a week.  It is quite stunning.  

Today, I was in an interesting state-of-mind and situation.  I had to stay outside during the call because the “precious” pooch had chosen that time to be needy and he would bark if I took him in, or left him out alone.  So, as I was connecting with my ‘people’ I was also connecting with my ‘pooch’.  

As I paced the yard I noticed the abundance of piles.  You know the kind of which I speak.  So, in order to ‘triple task’ I decided to get some bags and pick up the piles…did I say they were abundant?  

It turned out that in the time that I was picking up the messes, it was my turn to share the adventures and lessons of my week.  So in essence I was quadruple tasking…dog-sitting, people-connecting, poop-picking, and soul-bearing.  

I was overt about my ‘business’ with my callers and as I bent and huffed and puffed, I also spewed my stories. Essentially I picked up shit while I shared my shit.  I found it quite entertaining.  

The amazing and curious thing is that when I was done with my turn, so were the piles, THEY WERE ALL GONE.  Amazing.  The call carried on and the others did their sharing and then we circled back to me before the close of the call…and wouldn’t you know it, I was bending down to pick up a new fresh pile just as it was my time to speak again.  REALLY.  Quite a message there, eh!

It does beg the question that as we share and process our junk, so do we ‘clean up our shit’.

I was going to say ‘food for thought’, but I have a feeling I’ve turned your stomach a bit.  Oops!

Hermit (but not crabby)

Where has the time gone, I ask?

I have not posted in ages and that can actually feel like  a disservice to me because I love writing.  What I do know, however, is that I experience fallow times on an annual basis and I can say its like clockwork.  I’m coming out of one of those times.

When I am fallow, I operate more on a simple ‘hermit-like’ approach where I keep to myself a little more and I allow a lot of nonlinear activity (including NOT CLEANING THE HOUSE) and introspection.

Recently I pulled an inspirational card from a deck (like Tarot Cards) and it said Hermit.  My mind and my heart said…yessssss…that is what it feels like.

The card suggests that you are in a phase of introspection where you are drawing your attention and focus inward and looking for answers within. You have a strong need to understand, not just at the surface level but to really know why life is the way it is. The Hermit reflects that your consciousness has moved inward and you now realise that the truth and understanding you seek is within yourself and not in the distractions of the outside world. This is a perfect time to take a step back from your day-to-day life and deeply contemplate your motivations, personal principles and values. http://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/hermit/

What the card did, was allowed me to be ok with it and actually made me recognize that it was a phase and it was temporary and that it actually was USEFUL.

I can tell when I am getting out of that hermit-like time when I feel the urge to write and create…it just pops right back into place.  And here I am writing again!

Not only have I popped back into place, I am inspired for a great change for me.  I am looking for a career opportunity that allows me to work in a collaborative environment because…speaking of the opposite of hermits..I am a people person (read extreme extrovert) and have found that working from home as a solopreneur is no longer desirable for me.  I want opportunities to work with people who are working toward a goal that involves creative thinking, facilitated discussions (by me!) and a process by which we can get great work done!  That sounds like a good time to me right now!

AND I get to continue my writing, coaching and photography passions when they work best for my schedule!  It’s a win-win for sure!