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Unknown and Uncertainty

4/25/2022

2 Comments

 
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Sitting with these ideas for today’s #AtoZChallenge.  We live in a world of uncertainty, and we are always stepping into the unknown, individually and collectively.  Depending on what that unknown is can fill us with excitement or anxiety, hope or dread. 

Sometimes it’s clear that we are in a state of transition – leaving a job or relationship, graduating college, getting married, moving across the country, having a baby…  in these cases, we know we are leaving behind a familiar life to enter into a new one.  What we don’t always see so readily is that we are always in transition. Our bodies, our reality, our relationships, minds and ideas are continually morphing and evolving. 

Other people fill us with their fears, worries, or faith, which may or may not be helpful.  Each of us is living in the unknown, uncertain of what’s to come.  Most of us don’t like to admit or accept that.  So, we do what we can to control, to create some level of imagined certainty.

We make decisions and choices, take actions trying to ensure the outcome we desire, unwilling to admit we can only take the next best step for the best chance of the things we hope for.  There is freedom in accepting that truth. 

The only things that are known or certain are those things that have already happened. 

And, so, what keeps us going?  Why do we continue to show up?  I guess because the unknown also offers the possibility of things beyond our imagination.  Our negativity bias causes us to focus on what could go wrong, but at the same time our spirit and soul call us to what could be wonderful or amazing.

Knowing is actually way less interesting than we admit.  Who would watch a multi-hour sports event or movie if they knew how it was going to end?  (Well, unless, like me, you’ve seen it before and you don’t remember or you don’t care because the story is so enthralling!). 

We spend hours of worry about how our lives or our loved ones’ lives will go.  We humans are fascinating!  Playing this game of strategy and faith, effort and flow, making moves, taking chances, riding on hope.  And, there it is again, that mighty force that some call weak. 

Hope encourages us, supports us to say yes to the proposal, to take the stage, to leave the toxic relationship and head out on our own.  To put down the drink or drug that has consistently brought comfort to see if there might be a better life without it.  The hope that tomorrow will be a better day nudges us forward.  Something has to push us, pull us to leave the known and risk the vast uncertainty of the unknown.  To wake up and step into a new day and see where it takes you. 

“When you walk to the edge of all the light you have and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for you to stand upon or you will be taught to fly.”
― Patrick Overton, The leaning tree

My favorite days are “Let’s see where the spirit takes us” days.  Days with absolutely no plans, and where we let go of control, just checking in moment by moment to see what we’d like to do.  What we want to eat?  Is this a time to rest, read, or go for a walk?  What adventure calls to our hearts?  What might be fun?  What would feel comforting and nourishing? 

To find the ability to flow with it, gently, sweetly, one moment at a time.  Not needing an agenda.  Not needing to know.  It can be uncomfortable, but it can also be wonderfully delightful when I pause and listen within, feel into the longing of my heart and soul, let go of the worry of wasted time. 

This is where I sit right now.  Is this a day to relax and write?  To bake?  To go to a movie?  In the sweetness of no schedule, I don’t know.  And, I am savoring the unknown.  It gives me permission to decide, to choose, to see… These are my favorite days. The ones not dictated by meetings, classes, work, commitments, or appointments.  They are a rare gift in a busy world.  “Seizing” this day does not mean it has to be productive or anything other than what it is.  It only asks me to show up and be with it, as it is, as it unfolds. 

And, yet, feeling the uncertainty of our future, having just watched the memorial video of a young man gone too son, compels me to invite us all to live a life we will remember.  To love openly, to care deeply, to hug our people, to capture memories, and make new ones.  This life is so precious because of its uncertainty.  We don’t have to strive to make things happen, but we don’t want to miss what’s here. 

What grounds you as you find yourself swirling in the midst of uncertainty?  What helps you stay steady as you step into the great unknown?  What practices do you have that hold you most reliably when times are tough?  For me, meditation, morning pages, yoga, getting outdoors in the beauty of nature bring me home, and connecting with those I love is critical. 

What does it mean to you to live a life you will remember?  What’s calling you? What feels most meaningful and important these days?  Has that changed over the years?  I know, for me, I have little desire to go back to how I used to be when I was much younger.  And I do long to step into my next chapter from a place of purpose and joy. 

A few recommendations and invitations for you:
Katrina Kenison writes beautifully about life and its various stages, looking at transitions and life changes.  I have recently finished Magical Journey: An Apprenticeship in Contentment, a beautiful book for women in midlife, changing roles and relationships with growing children, finding themselves again after career and parenting change.  I highly recommend this as well as The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother’s Memoir of Letting Go.  Both books and her blogs, which are beautiful and thought-provoking, call us to be present to the everyday moments as our lives and relationships grow, evolve, and become their next version. 
​
Here are a couple of musical accompaniments for this life journey:
The Nights by Avicii – “Live a life you will remember!”
I Did It All by Vince Myers 


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2 Comments

Q is for Questions

4/20/2022

10 Comments

 
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Since we started with #AtoZChallenge with a post about Answers, and my theme is Question (Almost) Everything, it seems only fitting that we take a little time with questions! In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I love questions.  I live in questions.  I know what it feels like to be annoying for asking too many questions! 

Anyone else a “you ask too many questions” person?? 

Through these daily posts it’s been my genuine desire to ask provocative questions.  To get you thinking, journaling, considering how these topics show up in your life.  Questioning is the way we expand beyond what we already know.  Questioning the status quo, the “way it’s always been done,” or what everyone else is doing is how we contribute to change in our own lives and in the world. 

Asking questions can open doors and reveal fresh possibility.  Questions are the foundation of experimentation, inviting us to try something and see how it goes.  Questions make it ok to not know.
 
As I touched on in Answers, it strikes me that there are different types of questions we ask.  In addition to basic logistical questions, there are questions of agony, questions of hope, excitement or wonder, questions of curiosity and genuine interest, and questions of right or wrong.  And then of course there are the big, possibly unanswerable, existential questions!  And, my favorite, the beautiful question. 

At different times each one of us has likely asked every kind of question. 

Questions of Agony: These are the cruel or “woe is me” questions that pile on misery and can keep us stuck.  They’re natural but not very helpful. The come with a tone of powerlessness– tone matters, because some of these questions, if asked in a neutral way could be genuine interest, information gathering, reflective ones. 

These are the judgmental ones, the ones of self-or other criticism, the ones of despair and misery.  These questions sound like: Why is this happening?  Why me/us?  How did we get here?  How could you?  What’s wrong with me (or you)?  When will this ever end??  Who’s to blame? 

Questions of hope, excitement, or wonder: You can feel the energy in these questions as they touch a place of wonder, awe, or imagination.  There’s a lightness and a sense of delight as you feel these questions.  Maybe some “nerve-cited” sensation too!

When will we find out?  Is this really happening!?  Are we really in this place/at this event/fulfilling this dream?? Will this work?  How is it possible that there is so much beauty in the world?  How did I get so lucky to feel a love like this?  If I had a magic wand, how would your life be different?  If I went for it, what might be possible? Can I really do this?

Questions of curiosity and genuine interest: These questions seek to understand, to connect, to go deeper.

What’s going on for you?  Tell me more about your situation; I really want to know (this is the tricky statement question!).  What makes you feel most alive?  What does it mean to you to be successful?  What DO I really want? 

Questions of right or wrong: These questions try to figure out the “right” course of action. When asked internally, and if we allow ourselves enough space and time to hear true guidance, these can be super helpful.  If asked of others, they can take us away from our own intuition or knowing. 

What should I do?  Just tell me!  Is this the right choice?  I don’t know… is that wrong?  What does the book say we’re supposed to do in this case?  What do the experts tell us to do? 

Existential Questions: The super big, maybe unanswerable questions we ask about life itself and our life and purpose. 

Why am I here?  What am I supposed to do with my life?  What’s the meaning of life?  Does anything matter?  If nothing matters, does everything matter?  Is there a God, and if there is, how could they let ____ happen? 

And, then, there is the Beautiful Question:
I learned about Beautiful Questions in a workshop on curiosity at Camp Good Life Project back in 2018.  Steven Morris described it as a question that can’t be answered by the mind alone and that it may be something you have to sit with for some time. 

So, the beautiful question is one you may not know the answer to easily (or ever), and for me, these are the questions that have caused me to open my mind, and more importantly, my heart to a broader perspective. 

As a mom of a young man with substance use disorder, many of my questions over the years had been anything but beautiful!  There were many questions of agony, of right and wrong, seeking outside advice and answers, which no one could really give us.  There were not too many questions of curiosity or wonder and certainly no beautiful wide-open wonderings.  I was too constricted by fear.

The question that changed our life:
Steven’s workshop broke open a question that would change my and our experience of life, and it was this: What if we stop trying to save his life and just love him, as he is, for as long as he’s here?” 

Every single word of this question felt important for me to really take in.  This question came from some place beyond my mind.  I know that because it makes no sense to a Mom mind.  And yet, it acknowledges and embodies the reality of our situation.  We can’t save his life, and we’re making all of us crazy trying to do so.  We do love him deeply, so what if we fully gave ourselves permission to love with all of our hearts.  And, he might die too young.  Knowing that, how do we want to live and be with our son while he’s here?  

Somehow my heart and soul can hold the hugeness of this question. Somehow this question frees us to be with our son in a more peaceful, accepting way.  It allows, at least occasionally, the desperation to fall away.  It enables us to give him the freedom to live his life and find his way.  It stops us from so much telling and yelling. 

And, so I ask you, dear reader: What’s the value in asking good questions? Powerful questions?  What questions actually engage you or your conversation partner in some deeper thought and interaction?  What beautiful question might your life be asking you to sit with?  Is there one that would open you up? 

I can’t wait to hear what this topic stirs for you! 
 

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Forgetting How to Hurry

3/21/2022

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Transitioning, Adjusting, Reflecting…
 
We got back home last Monday evening, and I wanted to share with you some reflections as I'm slowly transitioning from what life has been like for the past 2 ½ months into “typical home life.”  It's kind of fascinating to witness myself as if looking in from the outside. I've lived in this house for 4 ½ years and in this area most of my life, and yet I feel as if I'm meeting myself here anew this week.  
 
Since January I've had no appointments to drive to, no people to connect with in person, and lots and lots of 1:1 time with Tom (my hubby). We've both worked virtually during that time - I have met with clients and participated in a number of trainings and professional development, but there's something different about getting back from the beach or out of the shower in time for a phone or Zoom call than having to get in a car to drive somewhere.  Also, I have only driven about 5 times in the past 10 weeks!  Life has had a sweet and simple rhythm and flow.  
 
Now I'm moving back into our more typical way of being… as soon as we got home, I had to rush to eat my supper while Tom unloaded the car before I jumped into a 4 hour training.  Our drifting into our own little worlds was already underway.  
 
He brought all the stuff in and, exhausted from two full days of travel, we both agreed to leave bags and boxes to be dealt with later.  I did notice how much easier it is to unpack and settle into the rental home than it is to unpack and settle back into our own space. In part because I have to fit all the traveling stuff into all the other stuff that's here.  I have been very struck by a sense of “too much stuff…”  Going into a rental condo is different - in that scenario we are adding ourselves into the space, finding places to make it our own, to create comfort and flow.   
 
Forgetting How to Hurry…
By bedtime I couldn't sleep because my mind was still stirring and my body was uncomfortable and there was noise that disrupted me.   I didn't sleep well and I woke up the next morning needing to get ready for a 10:30 appointment.  As I began my preparations I recognized that I had forgotten how to hurry.  That was both delightful (and something I want to remember to forget) and a little concerning because I did actually have to drive 30 minutes to get to my chiropractor.  
 
Following the Heart and Soul…
Thankfully I moved quickly enough while still at a pace that worked for me to make it on time.  In the waiting room I ran into a friend who told me how she and her husband had fairly rapidly followed a long-time dream and were moving to Florida!  After starting to look at properties, within a month they had found and bought a house that meets both of their needs and desires, sold theirs (within 5 days after 60+ showings and 30+ offers…for a lot more money than asking price) and things are coming together beautifully.  
 
Seeing her joy and sense of freedom reminded me what it's like to follow the call of the heart and soul!  It's how I left my job and started my practice, how we ended up here in this house on the water, and how we've now wintered down South for 3 years!  It seems that sometimes when you say “yes” and genuinely feel all in,  there's a whoosh of energy that gets things flowing.  It's not magic, but it certainly can be magical!  It was nice to feel that in her and to share in her celebration!  
 
Perspective and compassion
You might remember me griping about the “yelling people” downstairs who were definitely adding some stress and angst to our days and nights in Hilton Head.  When we left I wrote a card to mail to them and resisted the temptation to be snarky or mean.  Instead I simply offered them an anonymous loving kindness wish: “May you be peaceful.  May you be happy. May you be safe.  May you be healthy.  May you live with ease" along with an invitation to embrace the beautiful moments in this new day.  I'm not sure why I felt called to do that, but I did.  Seeing this young family with 3 or 4 little ones crammed into such a small space did give me some compassion and I knew I had no idea what was going on in their life.  
 
I had mentioned to our hosts that we might not be back because of the frequent yelling and screaming.   Our host checked into the situation and discovered that this family were relatives of the owners who were staying there because they were unable to return to their home in Guatemala due to Covid restrictions.  Whew… that could add a certain level of stress, couldn't it!?  So glad I had sent loving kindness and not nastiness!
 
Just a good reminder that we never know what other people are going through and that extending love and compassion is always the best choice.  
 
Transitioning and Adjusting
My whole being is happier and more relaxed when there is sunshine and warmth, so coming back to this grey bleak time of year is a little tough. I am very much appreciating a friend's picture posts of her trip to Hawaii and can feel the longing in my own soul for that vibrant color of flowers and water.  I've lived here mostly forever, but each year I find myself less and less tolerant of the cold and grey (hence the whole wintering away!).  
 
As I move through the house, I'm finding myself having to pause and remember where are the glasses?  where do I put these clothes?  What DO I eat for breakfast in the cooler weather?  And I'm also assessing as I put things away, “Do you deserve to take up precious space in this little home?”  I'm throwing things away and gathering clothes to donate. I can feel a strong desire for Spring cleaning and purging!  I even organized the junk drawer in the bathroom and cleaned the shelves in the cabinet before unpacking and adding in what has come back with us.  
 
Even though I am back home, it's an adjustment.  Even though we are always in transition, these moments feel particularly clunky as I settle back in. I am meeting myself where I am in this moment, gently, carefully discerning with each appointment, are you someone I want to continue to work with?  Do I need appointments as often as I did before?  What feels right to me in this season of my life?  
 
As I feel the “too muchness” in so many ways and the longing for spaciousness, for color, fresh air, and sunshine, for slowing down,  I am choosing carefully how to spend my time.  For instance, this evening I chose a walk with Tom over joining a group I love on Zoom  - my soul just needed to get out there on this 62 degree day when the sun was out!  Rhythms and routines are different here. We're finding our way.  The kindness I promised myself this week is to not overwhelm my schedule and to unpack slowly and gradually while I also tend to the things that have to get done. 
 
Good thing I forgot how to hurry!  I am going to do my best to hold onto that. I look forward to less frenzy and more flow.  (We listened to a great podcast on our drive home with Brene Brown and Dr. Shawn Ginwright which touches on this idea - you can listen to that here if you'd like) 
 
And I offer you this poem, which has sometimes been used to pressure people to do more.  I think actually the real intent and invitation is to do less…  “to be idle and blessed,"… to not miss the simple pleasures and delights of an ordinary day.  
 
The Summer Day
by Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
 
This week's meditation is Forgetting How to Hurry, and it includes a reading of “The Rat Race” from 111 Invitations: Step into the Full Richness of Life.  May it support you in taking a brief pause in your day. 
 
More thoughts (and still seeking your input)!  Blogging A-to-Z Challenge: 
Thank you to those who shared some ideas with me for this challenge!  I'm in! (I even bought the t-shirt so it's official!).   Every day in the month of April, except Sundays, I will post a theme-related blog based on the letter of the day. 
 
The working title for my theme is Question (Almost) Everything!  Inspired by Kate Bowler’s Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved, I thought it might be fun to live into some questions – to look at our conditioning, the stories, actions, and beliefs we’ve bought into and why we do and say some of these things.  Who taught us to believe this, where and when did we pick up this idea, and what might we choose instead?  
 
What do you think?  What questions do you have that I might explore? What conditioning are you curious about?  What belief, cultural narrative, actions, or simple pithy sayings drive you crazy?  Send me a note and let me know, please!  I'll need some help coming up with something for every letter!  And for some letters I have multiple ideas, so if this goes well, who knows?  Could become an ongoing thing!  
 
The blogs will be posted on my blog and will only be emailed to people who choose to receive them. Thanks to those who have already subscribed to this special list.  Email me if you too would like to receive these A to Z posts!      
 

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Meditation and Mindfulness - Life-Saving Practices

11/30/2021

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Recently I was invited to present a session on the myths and truths of Mindfulness and Meditation for a program for moms of teens, The Dream Teen Summit (check it out and register with my affiliate link here!).  As I prepared, it struck me how profoundly mindfulness and the practice of meditation have supported me for many years.  

I got wondering about what these terms, which are often used interchangeably, really mean.  What they are, what they aren't, why they're important,… not just for moms of teens or teens themselves, but how they can enhance anyone's life.  

For starters, these practices have enriched my life in many, many ways.  They have also supported me through the hardest years of my life which began 12 years ago when we were first faced with my son's substance use disorder.  The years since then have been marked by deep uncertainty, intense fear, anger, grief, pain, and continual chaos.   These practices have helped me to find my center, some sense of grounding, accept the life that is here, work toward cultivating a heart that can hold it all,  and they continue to support me to be with uncertainty (which is what we are all discovering life is).  

Meditation and mindfulness both invite us into the present moment – they ask us to be with things as they are, to face this reality and ride the waves. Through the practice of meditation, our awareness increases – we gain insights, new understandings and we can detect patterns in ourselves.  Our heart opens and we begin to feel everything more.  You can't force it.  You practice and discover for yourself.  

What are Meditation and Mindfulness? 

Meditation and mindfulness are interrelated, but they are not the same thing.  

Mindfulness is a QUALITY, a way of being, and it can be practiced formally or informally.  

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction), defines mindfulness as “the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” 

Let's break that down into its 4 components: 
1. Paying attention on purpose (choosing where you are placing your attention)
2. Being in the present moment (right here, right now!)
3. Coming from a place of non-judgment (oof!  That's a tricky one!  This asks us to witness what's here, without labeling it as "good" or "bad" which we all do all the time!)
4. Showing up with gentleness and compassion and curiosity (he didn't say that but I've found this to be key)

So, mindfulness is presence with awareness.  If we contrast that with mindlessness, it becomes a little more clear.  Think of driving somewhere and having no idea how you got there; talking with someone but you weren't really hearing what they said.  When we are mindless, our mind is somewhere else – perhaps caught up in future planning, past fretting, or worrying.  When we are mindful we are fully in the present - our mind and body are in the same room at the same time! 

Meditation, on the other hand, is a PRACTICE that has been around for thousands of years .  It is one path to mindful living. 

Meditation is the practice of taking your attention off of your thoughts (which are always commenting, judging, assessing) and placing it on something else (like a sound, a sensation, a mantra or word, or simply on the feelin of breath moving in and out of your body).  As I have learned and experienced in my Shamata Vipashyana practice, we will be distracted.  Our mind will think thoughts. Our ears will hear sounds. Our eyes will see things.  None of this is a problem.  We learn to simply return again and again (which is how this becomes a beautifully transferable skill to everyday life).  

Breaking Down Some Common Myths about Meditation and Mindfulness:
1. Meditation and mindfulness are not religious – they can work with or complement any faith or spiritual practice. 

2. Meditation is not complex or only for certain people.  It can be done by anyone anywhere and doesn’t require fancy equipment, the right music, candle, clothes, or location.  While it's nice to get away to meditate at times, this isn’t about becoming a monk in a cave on a mountaintop somewhere!

3. You do not have to stop thinking or "quiet your mind."  You work with the mind as it is, which will be different from practice to practice and day to day.  The mind exists to make thoughts just as the eyes see and the ears hear – it's not reasonable to expect that to stop just because you decided to meditate.  And, it's not a problem.  You simply notice the thoughts, let them go and return to the breath (or whatever your anchor is) and begin again!  Sweet!!  You can begin again as many times as you need to!  Each time you notice your thoughts have carried you away is a moment of awareness, of awakening.  Excellent! 

4. You do not have to think peaceful happy thoughts or be in a state of bliss – we work with what’s here and that is not always bliss! 

5. Meditation will not necessarily make you more peaceful or make you feel better.  It might, but what I have found is that it  helps you to “feel better" and that means all the feels!  A practice of peaceful abiding does not mean you will always feel peaceful, though you will find a way to be with things as they are  and have the courage to ride the waves of this life.  Deep down there is peace in that. Meditation is about acceptance and not being at war with reality.  

6. Meditation is not hard or fancy – it’s actually very simple, very ordinary, (sometimes it will even feel very boring).  Yet I have found it to be very potent in its simplicity.  Body has to be here – it is!  Have to breathe – you are.  Need to be present – you are! 

7. The purpose of meditation is not to be good at meditation – it’s to be good at life!  To be able to be and work with what is… through meditation, as my teacher, Susan Piver, said, "You actually get to be IN your life...not in your thoughts ABOUT your life!"  

Why are Meditation and Mindfulness Important?

As I have mentioned, these practices have really enriched my life - deepening my connection to inner wisdom and guidance, opening my mind to fresh ideas, perspectives, and possibilities.  They have also supported me through really hard times.  

These practices: 
  • Help you to be more mindful, more aware, more present to the reality that is here.  They support you, ground you, and nourish you as you face this reality and ride the waves.  (Pandemic, anyone?)  
  • Increase self-awareness and help you to discover the nature of your mind. 
  • Allow us to separate from our thoughts – we learn that they don’t have to carry us away with them and they're not always true.  Therefore, we may give our stories less weight. 
  • May change the way you are in the world - over time the way you think, talk, and interact with others may shift radically from your old norm. 
  • May change who you are.  I have found that they have lead me to be more compassionate, more open-hearted, more confident, more grounded.  They provide a path to claiming the power to be who you really are. 
  • Soften you toward yourself and others.  All of this is grounded in gentleness which deepens compassion, self-compassion, and  strengthens relationships. 
  • May lead you to feel more, cry more, and to feel more deeply connected to others and to all beings. 
  • Support you to actually be IN your life, not in your thoughts about life. 
  • Open you to be more responsive and less reactive.  When you can pause and respond in a mindful way, you are to choose and work toward change based on where you are right now.  You meet yourself and one another in a way that is honoring of where each of you are.  
  • Can interrupt our “spin cycles” – the thoughts that we each have constantly running, (catastrophizing, worrying).  Mindfulness and meditation can interrupt these patterns, rewire the brain, and create new neural pathways! How amazing is that!? 
  • Support us to become less judgmental and more accepting.  We adapt to the truth that “it’s just like this right now” and we remember that whatever "it" is, it’s impermanent.  We show up to life and ourselves with more curiosity, kindness, compassion

How to Integrate Meditation and Mindfulness into Daily Life: 
  • Begin by becoming aware of your thoughts and stories, and get curious.  Are they serving me?  If not, choose to pay attention to something else – be deliberate with where you are placing your attention.  Also be deliberate in what you are allowing into your mind and being.  
  • Reflect on gratitude – begin noticing what you appreciate, things and people you might otherwise take for granted.  Beginning or ending your day thinking about what you're grateful for can radically shift your experience of life.  Begin to ask yourself , "What’s going right?"  to help break free from our very natural tendency to focus on what's going wrong.  
  • PAUSE – simply allow yourself a few breaths or moments to stop before responding to a demand or request or before rushing into what's next.  Take just a little time to give yourself a little space throughout your day and notice how things shift.  
  • Sit with your breath, feeling it moving in and out, even if you only have 1 minute.  This is meditation.  Consistency is more important than duration. It's better to build a practice of one minute/day than to sit once a week for 60 minutes.  
  • Choose to begin your day intentionally - rather than reaching for your phone, take a moment to stretch, reflect on your gratitude, pray or meditate, drink some water, choose a quality to support you in your day.  It can make all the difference in how you move through the following hours and interactions.  
  • Explore different types of meditation – see what works for or resonates with you.  Give yourself permission to find what is doable in the reality of your life (What you have time for? What feels nourishing and supportive?).  Allow it to support you rather than be one more thing to do!  
  • To practice mindfulness informally, engage in everyday activities with the intention of being mindful.  This involves slowing down, paying attention, suspending judgment, and fully engaging in whatever experience is happening in the present moment. Put away devices of distraction - look around, use all of your senses to take in this moment; sit with another person and really listen to them; stare up at the stars; breathe in the fresh air.  Opportunities for mindful presence are everywhere!  

The practice of meditation (in which we forget, remember, come back, & begin again) is a practice we can bring into everyday life.  

I'd love to hear your thoughts on meditation and mindfulness!  What questions do you have?  What have been your experiences with them in your own life?  Please share in the comments below! 

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Gratitude... a Practice that has Changed My Life

11/24/2021

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Gratitude! It’s all the rage this Thanksgiving week and you will likely be flooded with messages about it.  But, here’s the thing. I have been practicing gratitude for at least 10 years now… so much so that it’s become part of who I am.  Sometimes it’s a more formal practice of reflecting and writing out or typing up what I’m grateful for.  Other times it’s simply an intentional reflection upon waking or before going to bed (try it – it can change your whole day or sleep!).  And, at other times, I just notice it throughout the day – if I’m moving slowly enough to notice, there is so much that catches my attention and fills me with appreciation.  Beautiful things, hard things I’ve faced and maybe worked through (at least a little), relationships that are easy, relationships that have been hard-won, things I could easily take for granted like the furnace running or the windows that allow in the beauty but keep the cold and critters out. 

Opportunities for gratitude are everywhere.  Sometimes I truly am grateful for the tears or for giving myself the time to hide away when I’m feeling sad, lost, confused, or afraid.  It’s not all about sunshine and rainbows.  And it’s definitely not about jumping over the hard stuff!  I do not want gratitude to be seen as a spiritual bypass – something that we go to even when we’re not feeling that way.  I don’t want anyone to squash themselves or to settle for less because they “know they should be grateful for what they have.”

Gratitude doesn’t say, “Stop longing.  Stop desiring.  Stop listening to your heart that is crying out for deeper connection or more meaning!”  It should not stop you from leaving the job that is sucking the life out of you just because you “should be grateful” that you even have a job… especially a good-paying job with benefits.  Please don’t weaponize gratitude in a way that keeps you stuck. 

Allow it to be a practice that fills you up and expands your view of life.  Let it change your experience of life as you regularly begin to notice what IS here that you do so deeply appreciate.  Let it pour out of you as you openly express to others what you appreciate about them, even when it feels awkward at first because who does that!? 

When we allow our attention to shift from its very natural, very human position of looking for what’s wrong or what could go wrong, to intentionally finding things to be grateful for, looking for what is “right” or “good,” we can literally change our brains.  We can also improve our physical and mental health.  We may find more joy, more flow, and less misery and angst. 

When I tell you that I’ve been able to find gratitude even in my darkest hours, even when I’ve been afraid my son would die, even when I’ve been awake all night with worry or anger after a particularly contentious interaction, I’m telling you the truth.  The key is I’ve also allowed myself to feel the fear, worry, anger, exhaustion.  It’s not an either-or kind of life we live.  We can feel it all.  And somehow the gratitude helps us to see the bigger picture of life beyond the narrow focus that despair and crisis can create. 

Gratitude is a life-changer - a genuine one.  Not a life hack!  I invite you to bring it into your daily life, not just on special holidays when the world tells you you should.  I encourage you to extend your gratitude beyond the obvious (though it’s a great place to begin with those people who are closest to you, who you love and adore, who lift you up)… extend your gratitude to the people who’ve done the work to ensure that you’re even reading this message – perhaps the eye doctor who prescribed your glasses, the person who installed your internet, those who design and create the technology that allows us to be connected across the miles.  Bring in gratitude for the farmers who planted the seeds and the workers who harvested the produce for the next meal you enjoy.  Give thanks for the beauty of the birds and their music that fills the air.  Find gratitude for the miracle that the sun continues to rise each day.  Soak in the miracle of fresh air and fresh water and reflect on those who stand up and do the work to ensure that we continue to have these things. 

Take a moment right now.  What are you grateful for in this moment?  Who do you want to share that with?  Who would you like to send a quick note or text of appreciation?  I invite you to join me in creating a wave of gratitude that continues beyond this week and that spreads far and wide.  Pay attention to how that changes your life and the lives of those around you. 

I am so grateful for you here in this community.  Thank you for being you, and thank you for being here!  

Here are a couple of meditations to support you in this practice: Invitation to Gratitude, Deeply Grateful, and Bathing in Gratitude  Please enjoy and fill up with these offerings.  

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Making Tough Choices

8/10/2021

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Last week I wrote about disappointing people and how sometimes we make choices that do disappoint others.  We make those choices to be honest and true to ourselves.  If you missed that and want to check it out, you can find that here. 

It’s also worth pointing out that the reality of life is sometimes we just will disappoint others, even when we don’t know we are.  Not by choice.  Not intentionally. But just by the things we do or the way we show up (or how we don’t).  There’s no getting around it and you can make yourself crazy trying to make all the people happy all the time.  It can’t be done… so, let go of that.  And this is why we come back to the notion of being true to ourselves as a guiding light. 

I have a strong hunch when we are true to the best version of ourselves (which is really what I’m talking about), you are not going to go out and ruthlessly hurt other people.  If you have any concern that this will lead to reckless narcissism or deep selfishness, you can probably let that go! 

And, when you are not living true to your best self, when you are being what you think other people want or need you to be, the best version of yourself cannot show up to the world.  It has been relegated to the basement or some back dark room… its hunkered down longing to come alive. 

Often, we stay stuck and don’t follow our hearts or our dreams because we are so afraid we’re going to let someone else down.  Sometimes we don’t follow a dream because it’s scary to see it come to life (this is a weird one but I have experienced it a couple of times when life-long dreams were about to come true… glad I persisted through the discomfort and allowed them to unfold anyway). 

Sooooo… let’s look at when it might be risky to make a decision because you’re not clear on whether this decision will honor you or is simply an attempt to try to please someone else. 

When NOT to make a decision:
- When you’re feeling exhausted, depleted, drained, or overwhelmed.  It’s highly unlikely that you’re able to access your true guidance in these states and you’re much more likely to default to what feels easiest, least controversial or bothersome.  It will be easy to collapse and defer to what others are telling you or to just do what you’ve always done. 
- When you’re doing it solely for someone else (with a boatload of resentment or ickiness brewing beneath the surface, even if you have the best intentions).  Unless you can get to a place where you know that you are consciously choosing, it’s better to hold off if you can.   

I’ve had very dear friends almost spend a lot of money and time to take a retreat or program I’m offering “to support me.”  No!  Please don’t do that!  I appreciate the thought, but quite honestly, I don’t want you there unless you’re there for yourself!  Leave the spot open for someone who truly feels called to be there. 

- When your choice is based on what others will think of you.  You’re not in their heads – you have no idea what they will think! And, more often than not, the people you are giving a vote to aren’t even people you care that much about!  So, let that shit go!  Who cares what someone else thinks about whether you add one more pet to your family, where you go on vacation, how you spend your days, that you don’t want to have a child or get married, or that you want to date after all these years? 

- When you can’t think clearly. When you’re in the thick of something, especially something upsetting, you might feel constricted, forced, or limited.  You may see no option or way out. This is a time to step back and find some breathing room before moving forward.  Sometimes there is a true urgency that requires action anyway – I still recommend at least a few minutes of deep breathing just to slow down, pause, and interrupt that spinning cycle that could lead to impulsive reactive choices. 
Sometimes the “urgency” is not real or something that someone else is trying to impose upon you (pushy sales people and disreputable businesses trying to make you “buy now! Time is running out!” BS).  For me, that’s a red flag.  If someone can’t give me time to think something through, then my answer will be “No!”  I used to tell my kids, “If you make me answer you now, the answer is no.  If you give me some time to think about it, it might be yes.  I don’t know yet…”  Amazing how patient they became when I didn’t cave in to fabricated pressure. 

Good news! There are things that can help take you from a place of confusion into making a solid decision that you can stand behind and feel good about!

Some things that help to make a hard choice that feels good (in alignment with your heart and soul):
  1. Time and space to breathe!  BREATHE.  PAUSE.  If you know me at all, you’ve likely heard this a thousand times… because it bears repeating.  Because it’s something I need to continue to remember.  The less time you feel you have, the more important it is to take time.               
  2. Get quiet. Get grounded.  See #1… and also maybe put your bare feet on the grass, take a breath of fresh outdoor air, gaze at the clouds, into a pond, or the flame of a fire.   Find something that works for you to bring you back to you.  Listen within.  Step away from outside voices and opinions. 
  3. Move from your head into your heart.  It helps to place your hands on your heart, close your eyes, and imagine breathing into this space.  Ask for guidance from this heart space.  You’ll know if the response you get is from your mind or your heart – the mind will try to convince, justify, rationalize, or defend a position.  The heart knows.  You will sense your answer rather than think it.  It may not make sense to the mind, even if you get the heart buzz that says, “this is the choice to make.” 
  4. Feel into each possibility you’re considering.  From a quiet, heart-centered place, where you’ve given yourself space to listen within, play out the scenario of “yes” or “no” or option A or option B, C, D…in your imagination and notice how your body feels, how your breathing responds.  Is there a sense of openness, expansion, softening?  Or do you feel tight, constricted, restricted?  What do you make of that?  Your body is a great GPS or North Star when you learn to tune into it in this way.  I’ve recorded this guided meditation to support you with this exploration.
  5. Free write about each possibility – allow your hand to move across the page as you handwrite, “If I do/choose ____...” for each one – write for a few minutes without stopping to think.  When you think you’ve written all there is to say, ask yourself, “And what else?” and see what comes through.  The key is to keep the pen moving so that you can tap in beneath the surface – allow yourself to be surprised. You may or may not get the answer you expected. 
  6. MAYBE talk it through with someone you trust who can help you to reflect – someone who can listen not only to what you’re saying, but for what’s not being said, for changes in your energy, changes in your voice.  A good sounding board is someone who helps you arrive at your own answers.  The people closest to you are not always good sounding boards, particularly if your decision might upset their life in some way.  A counselor, coach, or trusted friend might be. 
  7. Listen for and notice any deeply ingrained conditioning, patterns or vows that may be coming into play and influencing you one way or the other.  Things like, “I’m not someone who…” or “I swore I could never…” “things aren’t supposed to come easily – this must be too good to be true” are signs that an unconscious program is running the show.  This is a great time to get curious – ask yourself, “Is that still true?  Does this serve me now? What if…?” 
  8. Notice if you’re holding onto one thing while reaching for the next.  Sometimes we have to let go of one bank of the river to reach the other side but we hold on, straddling both shores, being stretched thin, for fear of what we might lose if we let go. Fear of stepping into the unknown can keep us stuck even if staying with what’s known is no longer healthy, fun, or beneficial.  Knowing what you’re moving toward can help make it easier to release the past.  Sometimes the energy that comes from releasing and letting go can open the doors to what’s next.  Sometimes we have to be willing to move forward and step into uncertainty because we don’t know how it’s going to turn out (truth bomb, you will never know how it’s going to turn out until it does… and it will never turn out at all if you don’t take a chance). 
As you find yourself facing these tough decisions, know that the dream may not take the form you had imagined (I went through this when we bought our current home – we had to let go of several along the way to land in one that wasn’t at all what I imagined it would be, and yet it’s perfect for what we wanted.  You can read a bit about this idea in Softening Your Gaze on a Dream.)

Invitations come that seem like they are leading us down a particular path, when in reality they may only be there to open us up to something within us or to help us clarify a definite “no.”  Just because you get invited to something does not mean it’s a sign from the Universe.  The Universe will put many things in your path – you still get to choose whether to pick them up, move around them, or avoid them completely. 

Also, please remember, very few decisions are forever.  We can keep ourselves stuck thinking “this is the only shot I’ll get at this” or “I have to get this right because this is the last job, relationship, pet, car…” I will ever have.  Relax... 

Allow yourself permission to play with the next move that feels right in this moment.  Might you lose some money or time on a decision if you change your mind later?  Sure… but is that the end of the world?  I have walked away from years of education and training, thousands of dollars invested in a path that isn’t right for me anymore. I have walked away from jobs I have put years of dedication into.  I have left friendships that are no longer supportive. I have supported many others to do the same – to set themselves free in service of their soul.  We grow.  We evolve. We become the next iteration of ourselves.  Every experience, every bit of life along the way has served in some way. Nothing is a waste.  It’s all led to this moment in time which is leading to the next. 

What choices are you facing that you’re having a hard time making?  What opportunities are waiting?

Give yourself permission to play.  To try, experiment, give it a chance if it’s calling you now.  Give yourself permission to change your mind down the road if that’s what’s right then.  None of us can see into the future.  We can only do the best we can with what we have right here and now. 

The “We Can Do Hard Things” podcast (with Glennon Doyle who got me started on this whole exploration of disappointing ourselves or others) just had a great episode on Quitting!  Check it out.  Fascinating the narratives we run about this word that can be used positively (as in quit smoking) or negatively (as in “You’re a quitter!”)! What stories do you tell yourself about quitting?  Who would you be if you did?  

Get curious about how gentle or harsh you are being with yourself as you consider these choices that keep you up at night and choose the gentler path.  You deserve your own compassion as you navigate these uncharted waters.  

What helps you to make a tough decision?  

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Getting Grounded

7/20/2021

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Phew!  It's been a doozy of a week for me - lots of dips into funks, times of abandoning myself, questioning myself, doubting myself, getting down on myself…  for no particular reason that I can pinpoint, which is the worst kind of out of sorts for me!  I like to at least understand what's going on.  

I try to remember that we all have these funks and I've talked to a lot of people who seem to be riding these funk waves with me at this time, but knowing it's to be expected and I'm not alone helps only a little.  Sometimes I am better at being with the discomfort of it, and other times I really just want it to stop… to go away!  

I definitely know that the more I'm able to let things be as they are and not aggressively try to change them, the more quickly it will move on through.  

I also know that when the inner turmoil is stirring it can be really unsettling, and at times we even feel shaken up, not grounded at all.  So, the theme this week is getting grounded.
 

Getting Grounded: 

One of the quickest ways to do this is to simply feel your feet on the floor (or barefeet on the earth if you can), feel your body being held by the seat, bed, or ground, let out a few audible sighs, maybe even imagining the stress or burden sliding right off your shoulders. Notice how your body wants to move. Does your neck want some gentle circles?  Do you want to wiggle or stretch in any way?  Let yourself move until you are just a little more comfortable.  Find yourself in this moment - look around - what do you see? What do you hear?  Who else is nearby?  Are you safe here?  (If not, please find a way to get to a place where you are). 

If you're feeling super agitated, you might want to shake your hands and arms (and maybe even your feet and legs) as if you're shaking off whatever it is that's getting to you.  

Feel your breath - notice its natural rhythm and quality in this moment without trying to change anything.  With each breath invite your belly to soften.  Place your hands on your lap or on your heart or on your belly… feel your own warmth and tender touch - this is a gesture of self-compassion.  Let yourself know that you are here for you.  

Allow yourself a little time to not need to DO anything or to figure anything out, but simply to be here with yourself.  Take the time you need… Connecting with your breath and feeling your body.  Support yourself to get into your body in this moment in time.  If there is any gentle reassurance you want to offer to yourself, please do… things like, “I'm here… we've got this… I love you.  We will get through this.  Shhhh….” can be tried out.  If you find a phrase that softens your body a bit, offer that to yourself - lean into it.  Let the softness come.  

Repeat as often as needed.  I've needed it a lot lately.  After I feel a little more grounded I've found it to be helpful to take note of what's true in this moment by either writing about “In this moment…” simply allowing my pen to move across the page about whatever is here right now for a few minutes or just saying aloud or silently to myself, “OK, in this moment…”  This helps to bring a reality check to this moment, this time, and keeps me from running away with the thoughts that may be carrying me in 900 different directions at once.  Right here. Right now.  Be here now.  (Sometimes I recite this simple phrase to myself with every inhale, exhale, and pause).  

How do you get grounded? I'd love to hear - please share your ideas so that we can add to our available practices!  

I've recorded this guided meditation to support you in getting grounded.  I invite you to give yourself a few minutes and allow yourself this time to settle in to this moment.  


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Our Need for R.E.S.T...

7/13/2021

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Coming back from a couple of days away with my husband, Tom, I am reminded how vital REST is to our spirits, bodies, minds, hearts, and nervous systems.  While we were away our only goals were to rest, relax, have fun, and flow with our days. 

Yesterday I spent the day reading, writing, and relaxing by the pool – dipping in when the sun got too hot, getting in the shade when I needed a break from the sun, and talking and laughing with Tom.  We were lighthearted and delighted by the simplicity of the day.  We did not allow work or phones to interrupt our time.  We consciously chose to take this time together to enjoy life and one another.  Summer is a great and easy time to do this as it seems to lend itself to it – there’s a collective energy of play, vacation, and lightness. 

On our drive home we listened to a podcast with Broadway sensation, Lin-Manuel Miranda, a wildly creative man!  He shared that much of his inspiration for his shows came when he was in a relaxed state – floating in a pool or on vacation.  Of course, there’s much hard work involved in bringing what he creates to life, but there is also an opening for creativity that happens when he is in a state of rest. 

I have experienced this myself and witnessed it in others – it may look like we’re procrastinating or not creating because there isn’t yet anything to show the world.  But, in reality, when we slow down and give ourselves some spaciousness, our mind is free to dream, to imagine, to visualize and we are open to receive bursts of insight, inspiration, and artistry.  Percolation time is a necessary precursor (at least for some of us) for spurts of creativity. 

It struck me that we all have a deep need for rest, for so many reasons.  As a society we are often rest-deprived, placing value on busy-ness and productivity over this restorative space that can feel like nothing is happening.  What we miss is that often, something important is still going on even though there isn’t outer evidence or product to show. When we have time and space, we can access fresh perspectives for problem solving, and our imagination can dream up things that wouldn’t be possible if we forced them.  When our nervous system can relax, we are not in a state of fight or flight, but rather receptivity, wonder, and openness.  We are more likely to respond more thoughtfully than react mindlessly.

I offer you this way to look at REST:
R – Re-boot
E – Exit
S – Space
T – Time

 
Re-boot: Just as your computer or phone can get bogged down or frozen and needs to be powered down and then re-started, we too need periodic re-boots.  Without taking a break, we become overly reactive, spinning (just like that annoying circle on your computer), going nowhere.  Our nerves are frayed, we’re depleted and drained.  We need to interrupt this spinning by stepping back from the habitual pace at which we move and the typical things we mindlessly do.  We need to power down, unplug - choose to give ourselves an intentional break to refresh, rejuvenate, re-fuel, re-energize (so many great R words… I could go on forever, but I’ll spare you! You can add your own).  This allows us to start up again with renewed energy, fresh perspective, a lighter heart.
 
Exit – Like a performer, sometimes we need to “exit stage left” from the center of our lives where all the activity is happening.  Get out of the spotlight, step behind the curtain, take off the costume, mask, and makeup and just BE.  Whether you step away for 3 minutes, 3 days, or 3 weeks, an intentional exit will give you a chance to re-boot.
 
Space – We need space in our lives – physical space, space in our schedule, distance from one another and time between activities.  I was highly aware of this on our drive.  I want several car lengths between me and the car ahead of me; I want to change lanes well before I need to make a turn and in a time when it’s safe to get over. 
 
This tendency transfers to life for me.  I don’t want to be squeezed into a tight space where I have to react without thinking, to feel pushed or rushed.  In traffic or in daily life, these scenarios make me anxious.  It’s easy to fill our schedules so tightly with calls or meetings that there is no room between meetings for a bathroom or meal break or even time to do the actual work. It’s even easier to fill our schedules so that there is no time available for the mini reboots (a quick walk outdoors, a conversation with a friend, a breath of fresh air or a day off), and we begin to feel an internal pressure of constraint and overwhelm. We need breathing room in our days in order to think clearly, be inspired or creative, show up to life’s challenges at the top of our game (or at least closer to it). 
 
Time – We need time… time alone, time to move more slowly, time to breathe, time to connect and time to reflect.  This goes very closely with space, as you can see.  We need to allow ourselves more time than we think we need to get places and finish tasks!! How many of you are overly optimistic when it comes to those kinds of things?  When we give ourselves time, we create the space which allows us to exit or step aside for a moment or more in order to re-boot. 
 
How do you know when you need a REST?
 
What are your signals when it’s time for you to give yourself this critical R.E.S.T.?  How does your body let you know?  Your mind?  Your heart?  Your spirit?  Learn to listen more closely for these internal signals so that you can respond with self-compassion and kindness.  We want to be proactive in creating this time of R.E.S.T so that we don’t find ourselves “resting” with a headache, illness, or injury. 
 
Taking time to re-boot, exit, and allow space and time will have a ripple effect!  Not only do you benefit – the people in your life will thank you too!  Give it a try and please let us know your thoughts and experiences here.  How do you like to give yourself R.E.S.T.?  What happens when you don’t?  What’s your promise to yourself in terms of honoring this need in the next little while?  

In need of a R.E.S.T?  Join me on retreat...  

If you're in need of some serious rest, please consider joining me, Sandra Sabene, and Carol Moon for this year's Let Your Light Shine Retreat, September 24-28th at the deeply restorative space that is Light on the Hill Retreat Center in the gorgeous Finger Lakes of Western NY!  We have created this time to allow you lots of space and time to let down, to connect with your inner wisdom and inspiration, to renew and be deeply nourished physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually! Early bird registration closes July 31st!  

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Everyday Beauty

6/1/2021

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This week I come to you with a simple, but not easy invitation.  Slow down and notice the everyday beauty all around you.  Pause to take in sights, sounds, scents.  Cherish a sweet smile shared in passing with a stranger.  Savor a conversation with a friend.  Take your time as you enjoy the sweetness of a strawberry.  







This practice pairs well with gratitude and it can completely shift our experience of life because it redirects our focus.  Even in hard times, sad times, angry times, there is beauty to be found.  The more we notice, the more often we remember to look.  We soften and we begin to allow in “this too…”  Even as my heart breaks, I can find the beauty in a flower offered with love.  Even when it's a dark and gloomy day, there is a fleck of color that catches my eye.  

Curious... What do you notice? 
I'd love to hear about the beauty you notice as you move throughout your day.  I'm also curious what shifts for you as you take time to look for it… to include it.  Please share in the comments below!  

This isn't about painting over anything painful or hard.  It's about saying “this too…”  This too is here.  It isn't all good or all bad, all black or all white - there are so very many shades of color in between.
 
This week's meditation is “Everyday Beauty.” I invite you to join me in this practice as we slow down and become present… as we notice the beauty we might otherwise miss.  May this practice fill you up.  

If you've missed previous meditations, you can access my entire library for free at Soundcloud.  I invite you to explore and see which practices would most support you this week.  

​A Beautiful Invitation for You: 
Doors are open for my Soul Care group (which is a truly beautiful thing in itself) for the summer session which begins next Monday, June 7th.  This is a group that comes together to focus on self-care and also nurturing and nourishing our souls so that they are filled up!  We will be gathering every other week on Monday evenings from 7-8:30 PM EDT June - August.  Email me to apply if you're interested in joining this group.  

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What Would Love Do?

4/13/2021

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Each morning I set an intention for my day…a quality that I invite in to support me throughout the day.  A guidepost that I can touch back in with when I remember.
One of my favorite and most powerful intentions is Love.  It allows me to check in with it throughout the day, asking, “What would Love do?”  before I react to a situation or sink into a particular story I'm telling myself.  

Asking What would Love do? allows us to tune into the quality of love as a guiding force.  Love reminds us to be gentle with ourselves and others, to act kindly and with compassion, remembering that we're all doing the best we can in this moment.

What does Love do?  
Love listens… 
Love sees you and hears you 
Love comforts a hurting heart
Love softens loneliness
Love sits with a hurting friend without any need to fix or advise
Love gives from a generous place, without expectation
Love fills us up
Love sets boundaries that are clear but not harsh
Love says “yes” or “no” without apology
Love cultivates trust
Love cuddles the dog
Love patiently sets aside the to-do list and chooses to be present with another
Love puts the phone away
Love smiles at a stranger, holds a door, and lets the anxious driver cut in

Love feeds the birds
Love slows down to notice the beauty
Love appreciates what's here

What else?? 

I invite you to try it out today. When you find yourself reacting, pause… ask yourself, “What would Love do?”  and notice how it changes your interactions, your perceptions, your perspective, and your day.  Let us know by sharing in the comments! 

The meditation I am sharing this week is one called “What Would Love  Do?” I invite you to enjoy this practice as we begin by first extending this love to ourselves.  

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    About me...

    I am a writer, coach, and teacher, and I love capturing life's many moments through writing, whether that be journalling, blogging, poetry, or essay.  I have always found the written word as a natural way for me to express what lies within.  

    This is the space where we get real.  I will write about my life experiences and things that I find my clients encounter in their daily lives.   

    What's real for you? What would you like me to write about?  Feel free to share with me topics you would like to see discussed and please join in the dialogue through the comment section. Your engagement makes the blog a much richer place to hang out!

    Thank you for joining me on this journey!!    

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Barb Klein
Inspired Possibility
585-705-8740
barb@inspiredpossibility.com