Inspired Possibility Blog

Real Life, Reality, and Retreat

4/21/2022

I often hear people say things like “back to reality…” or “back to real life” as if what they’re doing in that moment somehow isn’t real or doesn’t count. As if they’ve been enjoying “this,” whatever this is, too much, so it can’t possibly be real. It’s been too relaxing, too peaceful, too gentle or loving. Too easy. I hear it on retreat or on vacation or after a meditation. And, in general it’s implied that real life seems to suck in comparison.

I often remind people on retreat, this is real too. You are here, right now, and each one of us is real. This experience is happening. On one retreat, our facilitator suggested that when we take the time to immerse ourselves more deeply in our meditation and writing practices, that we are more in touch with what’s real. I think she’s right. When we take the time to step away from the madness of the outside world and connect within, with our essential goodness, our wisdom, our guidance, that’s what’s real. Not the many voices shouting at us or the steady stream of information bombarding us, but rather in that place where we have a chance, a hope of discerning for ourselves what resonates, what feels real.

We seem to have this idea that real life is hard. “Real life” is work, suffering, fighting, war, and pain. And that anything other than that is somehow a dream or fantasy state. No! And, yes. Real life does include all of the hard and painful things, and we can't turn a blind eye to them. And, there's more... the hard and painful does not negate the beautiful and soft. Real life is so much more than an either/or proposition! We cannot know immense joy or deep love without also knowing profound sadness.

Real life also includes quiet, stillness, beauty, and contemplation. It includes time dedicated to fun or reflection. Real life can be connecting with yourself and spending time on the things that deeply matter to you. Real life is falling over yourself, madly, deeply in love with another or laughing til the tears fly. Real life is watching a baby sleep or holding your dying mother's hand.

Real life doesn’t get much more real than the beauty of a forsythia coming into bloom, a hawk soaring across the blue sky, or the orange-pink canvas of the sun dipping below the horizon. Nature exists beyond and in spite of our man-made constructs.

Some beautiful questions to ponder…
What if more of us realized and created real lives that were inspired, creative, peaceful, joyful, and loving? What if kindness and gentleness were the values that ruled “real life?” What if that were enough? What if that were more than enough and these qualities rippled out far and wide?

What if we dispelled the myth that real life sucks, is a heavy burden to be endured, and showed up to contribute to a better life? What if we realized that together we are creating the real life that we experience and that how we show up matters? That our actions matter? That our choices matter? Maybe then we could actually come together to work on things that need our loving care – things like the climate crisis, social injustice, the opioid epidemic, homelessness, and poverty.

I guess we also need to remember that each one of us lives our own version of reality, influenced by the very tiny lens and unique filter through which we see and experience what’s going on. Know that each of us has been informed by our parents, our experiences, and our teachers. We each have biases that drive our beliefs and behaviors. Maybe then we could get curious and genuinely desire to know what’s going on in your version of reality. We could ask one another engaging questions, seeking clarity, seeking to understand, not necessarily to change our minds or views, but willing to do so. We could listen. Really listen – not to respond, but to hear, to consider, to wonder.

Life is messy. Human is messy. And, real life encompasses it all. If I might invite in another R idea... may we have reverence for the complexity of it all.

What do you think? Maybe I got swept away by yesterday’s post about Questions, but I can’t help but feel the possibility that wondering opens up. The freedom that comes when we unbury ourselves from the heaviness that we have believed “real life” to be. What thoughts do you have about reality, real life, and retreat? Thanks for considering today's #AtoZChallenge reflection!

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It Is What It Is... (or Is It?)

4/11/2022

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It is what it is. Or, is it?? This is today’s #AtoZChallenge question that’s on my mind. Not necessarily the premise of it (although maybe that too), but what does it actually mean and when and why do we say it?

More often than not I hear this uttered with a bit of resignation or powerlessness… coming through when people feel there’s nothing they can do about whatever “it” is. Or people use it to dismiss something that they don’t really want to talk about or look at deeply.

And for that reason, I’m not a huge fan. I am a big believer in acceptance of what is, of not being at war with reality, but not staying stuck in the muck or avoiding uncomfortable topics.

As a Possibilitator and coach, I’m always looking for opportunities and possibilities. OK, this is what’s here… now what!? As a meditation practitioner, can I sit with what’s here, even if it’s uncomfortable? As a student of life can I be curious about what I might learn? As someone who does not want to live as a victim, let me think about what influence I can have. As someone who knows I am always evolving, I wonder what might emerge from this current state.

I have a t-shirt that says “It is what it is. It will become what you make it.” This I like. This empowers us to remember that we do have a choice in how we respond to what life presents. We don’t just have to accept bad circumstances as eternal. Things are forever changing, as we talked about in our C post on Change, and we have the ability to impact our experience in life. You are not powerless. You have impact. How you show up and what energy you bring matters.

The other issue I have with this phrase is that it’s dependent on our lens – how we see the world. Each of us could look at exactly the same situation and have completely different interpretations and feelings about it. A big snowfall – one person looks out with awe and wonder, taking in the beauty, can’t wait to go snow shoeing. Another sees nothing but cold, bleak weather that is going to force them to stay inside or break their back shoveling this sh#@!

Remember, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
– Wayne Dyer

So, the truth of what it is is subjective. Do we see something as a problem or an opportunity, an ending or a beginning, tragic or hopeful, unfair or simply a natural consequence? Did the thing that person said or did really mean what you thought it did? So much room for interpretation once we start talking about other living beings! So much depends on our attitude, viewpoint, perception, and beliefs.

So, yes, it is what it is. What do you make of that? What does it mean to you? What do you want to do about it? Is there an “it” that you’re currently feeling this way about? Can you broaden your view? Consider a different angle? Sometimes even things we feel certain about look different when we look at them differently (think of optical illusions or mirages). Things may look different after we’ve had some rest or distance. And sometimes things simply aren’t what we thought they were. Remember when you jumped at that stick on the path because you thought it was a snake!? Oh, maybe that was just me… 🤣🤣

Can you really be sure that it is what it is?
Today's musical support: Life's What You Make It!

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H is for Hope

4/9/2022

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“Hope is a weak word,” I’ve heard. And, I get it, I guess. If all you do is hope that something will happen or hope things will change or get better, but you don’t do anything other than sit around hoping, then sure… it’s not enough. At the same time, I have also always cringed a little bit at this idea. Something about it felt off.

I’ve found that sometimes hope is all we have. When things feel so lost and we can’t see the way out, we must hold on to hope. Hope is like faith or love in that it can’t be seen, but it can be felt deep, deep down inside us. It can call us forward. It can help us show up for another day.

“Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” – Helen Keller

I’ve found that hope is not weak at all, but perhaps one of the strongest forces that exists. It is a light in the darkness, a beacon in confusion, a balm in times of despair. Hope lives in the rising of the sun, the blooming of the daffodil, and the budding of the trees.

“In the stillness of the quiet, if we listen, we can hear the whisper of the heart giving strength to weakness, courage to fear, hope to despair.” – Howard Thurman

Although at times hope feels risky, so we opt for “cautious optimism” instead, as if somehow daring to hope will jinx the outcome we hope for or cast a curse upon the situation. The stakes are so high we dare not hope. And yet, please do… what have you got to lose? Not hoping isn’t going to make the pain any less if things don’t work out. And it might just lighten your spirit along the way.

Because I think we could all use a little more hope, I offer you this beautiful poem:

Listen
Fear says
‘what if this
is the end of the world?’
Love asks
with a tender and open smile
‘Oh my precious child,
what if this is the beginning.’
Don’t lose hope
Don’t let fear harden you
Lean in to the unimaginable.
Dare to laugh
amidst disaster
even with shattered dreams
and a broken heart
that cries for all those suffering.
Dare to love
even now
even here.
Remember who you are,
without all the layers
of conditioning.
Come home
Again
And
Again.
Bathe in the beauty
All around.
Remember, dear child
The sky and earth
Still
Sing.
It is up to us
To
listen.
- Sarah Siegel

Share with us please your thoughts on hope. What’s been possible because you dared to hold onto hope? How has hope supported you? Is hope a scary or easy feeling for you to lean into?

#AtoZ Challenge – Question (Almost) Everything

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A... Answers

4/1/2022

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Wait! What? I thought this was about questions! Well, it is... but asking questions implies that there will be answers, doesn't it!? We ask questions because we want answers… and, if we’re honest, we crave answers!

So, let's begin here. It's important to set the stage and your expectations for what this journey will involve. Spoiler alert... no answers (at least not from me)! Why not? Because my hope here is to get you wondering, thinking, contemplating. Getting clear on what resonates for you and feels true to you. I want to invite you to a place of sitting with your own questions as you read (and journal along with me if you feel so inclined!).

I love and appreciate any teachings that ask us to discern for ourselves what is true – not to take anyone’s word for it or to buy into something until we have tested it out for ourselves. I highly encourage that! So, please, as I offer out ideas and ramblings, feel into them and find what lands for you.

Here we go with Day 1 of the A to Z blogging challenge with my chosen theme of Question (Almost) Everything! Thank you so much for coming along for the ride!!

As I think about answers, I notice a few things. I am aware of different types of questions – questions of agony that can feel judgmental, self-critical, harsh, or victimy; questions of hope and excitement that hold the energy of wonder and delight along with perhaps a little nervousness; questions of anticipation that hold an eager or impatient energy; questions of true curiosity, of genuine interest or desire to know more, without agenda. I’m sure there are more, but these are the ones that rise up in this moment. Oh, questions of “should” and of “right and wrong” are another powerful and predominant group.

What kind of questions do you find yourself sitting with regularly? What answers do you long for?

A couple of beliefs about answers rise up:
1. Answers are "out there," and
2. Answers lie within

So, let's look at them one at a time.

Answers are "out there" is something I've believed on some level most of my life. That someone, something, other than me knows what is best for me. I've had to work really hard over the years to get to a point of trusting myself. My first inclination is still to look for a book (or as many books as I can find) for any situation I'm facing. And, yet, this idea that the answer is somewhere out there has also led to a lot of pain and confusion.

As a youngish new mother, I didn't know how to trust myself. I remember distinctly reading all the "What to Expect" books as my bibles throughout pregnancy, infancy, and toddler years - they were pretty helpful in terms of normalizing stuff I'd never encountered before. And, then, for some reason those books drop you and leave you hanging! Where is the "What to Expect in the Teen Years?" Or "What to Expect when Addiction Enters Your Home?" Seriously lacking, folks!!

When my first son was just a baby, I remember feeling so lost and confused... one book is telling me to let him cry it out, even though it's ripping our hearts to shreds to do so... another says pick them up whenever they cry (didn’t love that answer either because we were exhausted)... another, "don't spoil your child..." It would be nice if the “experts” could at least agree! In those early days of sleep deprivation and feeling like aliens on foreign terrain, we desperately wanted anyone to just tell us what to do! At least that’s how it felt in that moment and in most moments of panic and fear.

But, actually, as I look back, what I really wish was that someone had reassured me that we would find our own way, our own rhythm that worked for us as a couple and as a family, based on who this little one was. Really...

Starting a business, becoming a coach, there are plenty of people ready and willing to tell you how you're supposed to do things - what's right, what's wrong - how to earn 6 figures in 3 days! Give me a break! But I still have to pause to resist the temptation of the bright shiny course. It's an effort for me to lean into finding my own way to do things and letting that be ok. The programming that suggests there is a right or wrong way to do things runs strong through my veins.

More often than not, I have to remind myself that yes, there are plenty of answers "out there,” but I don't have to buy into any that don't ring true for me.

There are plenty of people all too happy to tell you what you "should" do... very few who encourage you to stop and decide for yourself.

So, let's go on to Answers Lie Within...
This idea is one I very much believe. I trust that each of us is the expert in our own life and that when we are able to find the way, we can lean into our own knowing and trust.

I also know that that’s not always a reassuring stance either, because as lost and confused humans, sometimes it seems like it would be so much easier if someone would just tell me!!

So, my closing thoughts on this are we want answers, but we really don’t want someone else to tell us what to do, except when we’re feeling most lost and confused. Even then, deep down, if it doesn’t resonate with our heart and soul, I think we feel the dissonance. I also think that more often than not when people start telling us what to do, we naturally begin to shut down. We feel the disconnect from our own wisdom and knowing. We feel the pain of not being seen and heard. We wish someone would just tell us to find our way.

What are your thoughts about questions and answers? Please share your wisdom in the comments below! #AtoZchallenge

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A to Z Blogging Challenge Theme Reveal...

3/24/2022

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I am trying something new to me this year! The Blogging from A to Z April Challenge #AtoZChallenge What this means is that every day in the month of April, except Sundays, I will post a theme-related blog based on the letter of the day.

And today is reveal day... Drumroll, please!! The theme I am working with is
Question (Almost) Everything!

Inspired by Kate Bowler’s Everything Happens for a Reason and Other Lies I’ve Loved, (and because I truly know the value and power of good evocative, provocative, beautiful questions) 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?

Some will be serious, some will be silly... and lord knows, I hope I can come up with 26 topics to think about and that I can be disciplined and structured enough to post every day! This will definitely be challenging for me, and a good stretch for my writer self.

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 message and let me know, please! I'll need some help coming up with something for every letter!

The blogs will be posted right here on my Inspired Possibility blog and will also be emailed to anyone who would like 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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The Heart Revolution has Begun...

3/3/2022

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Drew a heart in the sand to mark the moment - BFK + TFK 3-2-22

Two posts in two days!? What?? Yup! This one couldn’t wait – it’s bursting to be shared! (I think maybe, just maybe the heart revolution which I invited you to join yesterday has begun – I can feel it!).

Ah, I have to say, yesterday was absolutely perfect… even though Mary’s dead, Nate’s in the hospital, Adam wasn’t here, and I could “only” share the day with Tom. It was amazing and my heart is still bursting to overflowing.

Even though there were no gifts to unwrap, no cards to open, no flowers to receive. It was absolutely perfect. Why? Because I felt loved – because I loved myself and showed up for me and asked for what I wanted (pretty uncomfortable and not always the norm). Because we created a glorious, heartfelt, magical day.

And the moments matter way more than a mountain of material things ever could.

I got to be with Tom. I got to talk to Nate, Adam, and Steve, and listen to messages from Mindy and Kare – and, even though they were the only ones who called, that was enough.

And, here’s the thing. I KNOW my experience in this moment could be vastly different if I narrowed my focus onto what wasn’t rather than what was. What was missing or lacking rather than everything that filled my heart. It’s an unwritten rule in my life that cards matter, and yet, there was not one single card, even from Tom. But, what I had instead was his complete, undivided attention for an entire day, from sunrise til bedtime. I’ll take it!

Now, I can write about this because I allow myself to notice and to choose what I focus on – what really matters. Time – wild horses – blue sky and sunshine – bird song, a starlit night, the sweetness of a loved one’s voice or message (and the effort they took to let me hear it or feel it). Money can’t buy these things and these things bring tears of gratitude and break open my heart… Truly.

This is not me settling or compromising or making things be ok. This is me landing solidly in a deep, deep contentment that life is so very good event though not every bit of it might be exactly perfect on the surface.   In my heart and soul it is absolutely Divine, heavenly, magical, and I am so grateful.

Maybe this is the wisdom of the years or the heavens speaking in this moment. Tomorrow I might be a resentful bitch about something else, but it won’t be about my birthday. Honestly, it was the best birthday ever because:
A. We created a day for me – that made one more of my little girl dreams come true – I got to see wild horses!!
B. No work. No productivity. No squeezing one thing in even on the drive. Only time for what really mattered – delight, connection (with Tom and also through birthday messages via text, Messenger, email and Facebook), and
C. I let more of me free into the world with yesterday’s Heart Revolution newsletter and blog, which felt risky and was well-received, at least by some.

Birthday Mantras:
Tom asked me if I had any birthday mantras. I said, “To take nothing for granted and to be more me!” To choose to savor life – truly from deep within my heart. To choose to just live and enjoy as many moments as possible, and to savor life’s sweetness and focus there. To risk being called Pollyanna or too positive or pissing people off who would rather I hide my joy.

This is the ground I stand on. One where I don’t need to hide away my joy or delight. One where I can dance and sing when I hear great music, even if it’s in a restaurant or on the beach or mall in a crowd of people. One where I smile and tell a stranger I love her shirt or offer to help someone. One that deepens connection because I am not locked away in my own discontent.

Does this mean I won’t ever feel sad or angry or disappointed? Does it mean that my heart isn't also breaking for the people who are suffering? Does it mean I'm not seething with anger at unjust acts of war? Hell no! It means my heart can hold it all. It means from this heart-centered place I am grounded and ready to act. It means that fierce compassion can rise up to take the steps that are mine to take.

I will more honestly, more openly, more fully feel all that I feel and then decide where to dwell – which feelings to hang out with and for how long. I will choose what actions are mine to take.

And, you might say, “But, clearly you were disappointed with no cards or you wouldn’t have mentioned it.” And I say with full honesty, and not to convince anyone, “No. That was just my mind noticing the story that I’ve lived with all these years, and my heart is discovering a new reality, a new truth. I’m actually not disappointed at all. In fact, quite the opposite. I don’t care if Hallmark ever makes one more cent on a card for me!” I am so very happy and grateful and I choose what’s good, what’s right in life. That’s where I want to hang out.

I am just not going to hold back any more. Unlocking me feels so very good, and I do believe it’s part of this heart revolution. I hope you join me in setting yourself just a little more free today! This is what's possible when you do!

Some Songs to Support this Feeling:
Oh, and here's this morning's playlist to reinforce all of this! (You want another way to tap the wisdom of the Universe? Create a playlist that awesomely fills your heart and put it on shuffle! Amazing what comes through at just the right time!) Click the links for today's songs. Enjoy!!

All My Life - Linda Rondstadt and Aaron Neville (an anthem of our relationship)
You'll Never Walk Alone - Marcus Mumford
Both Sides Now - Judy Collins (listen to the words... perfect accompaniment!)
What Light - Wilco (thanks, Carol Moon, for this gem!)
Here We Go - WILD (thanks, Jen Louden!)

Wild Horses on Cumberland Island, GA

Birthday sunset from Saint Mary's, GA (of course, St. MARY's!)

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Out of the Darkness...Into the Light

12/21/2021

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As I revisit and revise this post, originally written for MomPower last year, I am sitting with some fresh, raw, and very deep sadness. I am grateful to re-read this message and take it into my own heart as I sit with myself with tears streaming down my face.

Today marks the winter solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere. On this darkest day of the year, the pivotal moment between dark and light, it is the perfect time to honor the darkness that has come into our lives. It is a time to honor those who have been lost and to remember them with love. It is a time to honor the struggle and the perseverance of those who are on a challenging journey and to honor ourselves and other loved ones who have also found a way through the darkness.

In honoring the darkness and in grieving the losses we have endured, we bring those moments into the light. When we bring them into the light, they are no longer hiding in the shadows, lurking in shame, or hidden in silence. We claim and name our experience. We see it for what it has been. We presence it.

When we do this, we are able to step forward into the light. Just as the days begin to get longer with a bit more light from tomorrow on, we too can begin to bring more light into our homes and our beings.

Addiction, cancer, mental illness (to name a few) are painful diseases, as you undoubtedly know. They affect everyone in their wake and can take down entire families with the weight of suffering.

However (and this is a big however), the journey from darkness to light does not have to take us out forever. It is possible to find hope, joy, peace, love, and to create a brighter tomorrow, even when we have been impacted by a loved one's disease.

If you are reading this, you are alive, and for that fact alone there is reason to celebrate. You have been given the opportunity to live one more day. What will you do with this one precious life you have been given? How will you set your soul free to express itself? What is uniquely yours to do?

Is there some way to honor your journey up to this very moment--the good, the bad, and the ugly, the full messiness of it all? The painful, the joyous, the fearfulness, and the hope? Whatever it’s looked like in the past, today marks a new day, albeit a short one. Tomorrow offers the light of fresh possibility, as each day does. How do you want to step into tomorrow?

If we are able to find a way to turn our pain (or darkness) into possibility (or light), we can transform these heavy experiences into something that serve and support us and others. We can show up for life more fully. We can become who we were born to be. With each loss I experience I also experience a fresh resolve to live this life even more fully.

Let’s face it, the past 2 years have carried a full load of darkness, collectively, along with anything that you might have experienced personally.

For many the holidays are emotionally-charged times and may bring in a healthy mix of emotions… sadness, joy, celebration, loneliness. I know I will be feeling both sadness for those who are not with us during this holiday season as well as joy and gratitude for those who are.

There is room for it all. When we allow ourselves to feel it all, to allow our hearts to carry this messy mix of what makes us human, we are able to move through it.

“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” ~ Brene Brown

So, let this pivotal day be a day that marks the honoring of both the dark and the light. Let us take a step back and look at the big picture of our lives and recognize that our experiences have not been all good or all bad, but rather a mix of both.

These diseases can entomb us with their heavy cloak of darkness if we let them, but we can choose to lift up the corner of that cloak and peek outside. We can lay down the heaviness and step into the light. We get to choose.

We may well prefer the moments of lightness, light-heartedness, and light in general, but there is also a gift to receive during the dark and challenging times. We must be willing to sit with this part of our reality if we are to truly enjoy the light.

I have found that it is in the dark where I have grown the most. I wonder if that might be true for you as well. I offer you this poem for consideration.

The Places We Grow
It’s in the dark,
in the shadows,
where we stretch and grow.

We face ourselves
and see a new or forgotten aspect,
a piece we’d rather ignore or deny.

But there it is…
staring us down,
daring us to change,
to find a new way,
or to simply come into acceptance.

Sometimes it’s about overcoming
or adjusting.
Finding a way to do this with
love, compassion,
and gentle communion.

Honoring the self…
who I am,
where I am,
what I need,
what my baggage is.

And stepping into a deeper layer,
excavating and shifting,
allowing new light in,
and new hope out.

These are the places we grow –
often watered
and nourished with tears.
© Barb Klein, 2016, “The Places We Grow,” from 111 Invitations: Step into the Full Richness of Life

Where and how can you nourish yourself today? How might you allow some new light in--to your being, to your life? How can you allow a little more hope to shine into the world?

Begin by greeting yourself exactly where you are--gently, with tenderness, care, and compassion. Offer yourself the space and grace to feel into what’s alive within your heart at this moment. Ask your heart what it needs at this moment to be truly nurtured and nourished. Then respond accordingly. You deserve your own loving care.

We are on the cusp of a new year and we can only hope that 2022 is bringing with it new possibility, hope, and fresh beginnings. Today let’s pause. Let’s look at our lives and our loved ones with reverence. Let’s honor this journey where we have walked, crawled, and stumbled while we look ahead to the light of new creativity. Let’s let this darkest day of the year—December 21-- be a personal pivotal moment for us to enter an illuminated future.

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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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One Step at a Time!

9/15/2021

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12-step programs use “one day at a time” as a guiding principle. I’ve adapted that to “one moment at a time” for years because there are simply too many moments in a day! In meditation we are often brought back to “one breath at a time,” a reminder that this is all we have. This breath. This moment.

Last week when I was in Colorado, I went on a couple of mountain hikes that were a little (or maybe a lot) out of my comfort zone. I was brought to the present moment with a snap of reality that I could only take it “one step at a time!” This became my mantra for the trip. I couldn’t miss that this is also a great metaphor for life.

As I navigated cliffside boulder fields, gradual and steep inclines, and even endless stairs (everything is on a slope there!!), I had to remember to not look too far ahead, to not look down (or up), to not look behind me. If I did, I might freak myself out!

I got experience how my open-eyed meditation practice supports me in “real life!” If I could keep my soft-eyed meditative gaze, 2-6’ ahead of me, taking in whatever was in my visual field, I could make it through bit by bit, one mindful step at a time.

Did I have to stop and catch my breath? Heck yeah! Many, many times! Did I need to allow my heartrate to come back down to normal? Um, yes! At 6400+ feet above sea level, my heart was pounding even without the added exertion and heat! Did I worry about being a drag to my companions? I did, but I talked myself through it.

Did I feel really proud of myself for getting through stuff I wasn’t at all sure I could navigate (like those boulder fields or the drop-off steps down the side of a cliff)? I did! I don’t always give myself enough credit for how strong, able, persistent, or courageous I am. Especially when it comes to physical acts. I’m comfortable with emotional, mental, and spiritual strength and endurance. But, physical…not so much. I have a ton of stories about who I am and what I can and cannot do. Lots of the time they stop me from pushing myself to my limits.

What helped was this reality guidepost – All you can do is One Step at A Time. Isn’t that what life is, after all? Just a series of single steps woven together? When we face an obstacle we don’t think we can get through, often if we just take that first step, take our time, navigate carefully through, we find ourselves on the other side having surprised ourself at our own strength, flexibility, agility, persistence, courage.

In a very real sense, I was physically exhausted, but in a way that I’m not usually. This was not the physical exhaustion that comes as a byproduct of emotional or mental over-working. This was genuine in the body, tired to the bones, shaking in my core exhaustion – the kind that also says, “You are stronger than you imagined!” The kind that invites a solid, hard night’s sleep!

I return from this trip with a sense of exhilaration, a sense of aliveness, and an awareness that I want to push myself more often now that I know I am more able than I think! I am acutely aware that this idea that “life is for living” resonates deep within me. I need to do things that bring joy, peace, connection, and maybe a little bit of challenge!

How often in life do we find ourselves thinking ahead, planning or worrying, anticipating what is coming, what might happen, or what might be needed? Dwelling on something that’s already happened? Finding ourselves out there with all the thoughts while also trying to be present… How often do we hold those thoughts not only for ourselves, but for all the people in our world (family, friends, clients, employees, the community at large…)? I watched myself do this on the return trip home – at the airport, on the roads, looking for signs, making sure we had all the necessary documentation at the ready, planning, trying to be one step ahead. It’s exhausting! (Listen to We Can Do Hard Things podcast on Overwhelm to hear more about this “ticker tape” that often runs through a person’s head!)

It was so refreshing to spend a few days not doing all of that – just allowing the days to unfold, to see where the spirit moved us to go, to be exquisitely present on a mountaintop, taking it one step at a time. Thankfully this energy still reverberates throughout my whole being – these lessons and insights will carry me back into day-to-day life. My heart is so happy and my soul is ecstatic!

How might this experience guide you? Where can you slow it down to literally one step at a time? Stop jumping too far ahead and simply allow yourself to truly be right here, right now. This moment, this next step – that’s it! Where can you let go of over-thinking, over-planning, over-worrying (especially about things that are beyond your control)?

Can you lean into the truth that often we don’t know what lies around the next corner? Can you lean into the challenge that is before you now the way I leaned into the mountainside to avoid a potentially disastrous slip? And, where and how can you give yourself a chance for a little refresh? Is there a part of you wanting to come back to life?

Life truly is for living, my friend! And, if we take it one wise step at a time, we can carry ourselves forward into places that just might surprise us! We might discover we are stronger, braver, wiser, and more skillful than we ever dreamt.

I invite you to join me and Sandra Sabene for this year’s incredible 5-day Let Your Light Shine! Retreat that begins on September 24th! This is a great chance for you to live into this idea of one step at a time! It’s an opportunity to slow down, to see what calls you, moment by moment. It’s a chance to connect with your heart and inner guidance. It’s a chance to be nourished in so many ways – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually! It’s a chance to take yourself out into nature – to hike the woods, walk the labyrinth, sit by the fire… a chance to dance, sing, play, create, as well as a chance to deeply connect within.

What are you taking away? Please share!!

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Practice...In Real Life

7/1/2021

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If life has taught me anything, these are a few of the key lessons that apply across the board:

Things don’t always go as planned
My “control” is very limited, and mostly a delusion
Worrying never helps, but that doesn’t stop it from rushing in anyway
Where I place my attention and what I choose to focus on profoundly changes my experience of life.

As I write, I am in Austin where I’ve recently finished a powerful and profound writing and meditation retreat led by Susan Piver. Being in Susan’s home with 11 other writers opened me and my heart to the depth of what the next book wants to be. It was the perfect container and helped me to connect the way my meditation practice has supported me and carried me through some of the hardest times of my life. It is what has opened my heart and softened me in a way that allows me to bring love and compassion to people and experiences in a way that I don’t think I would have been able to otherwise.

In 4 days of sharing space, meditating together, and writing in communal silence, my heart blossomed, my tears came. and I felt the complexity of writing about our journey through addiction. I have stayed with it. I love our particular meditation practice because it is all about being awake in our lives, being able to be with life as it is and not needing to retreat within or push anything away. It takes courage to face life head-on, especially when what’s here is painful and uncertain.

Transitioning from retreat back into “ordinary life,” watching retreat dissolve, as Susan so beautifully described it, and returning to my regular pace and ways has been gradual and is right now still incomplete. I’ve been fortunate to be able to blend my retreat time with family time – to visit with my sister and her family who I haven’t seen in a couple of years (because… COVID…). It’s been a beautiful blend of together time and solo down time, time to meditate and write… time to sit in their heavenly backyard and drink in the sights and sounds of nature.

I have been reminded this week of the power of pure and simple moments. Our meditation practice is so pure in its simplicity… simply sitting with our eyes open, feeling the breath and allowing everything to be here, nothing to push away – sights, sounds, thoughts will all come and go, and when we get distracted to the point of having lost connection with our breath, we simply return and begin again. I’ve watched emotions rise and fall away, tears well up and wash down my face as insights and openings come through. I’ve had moments of distracted random thoughts – some inspired and others perfectly mundane. I’ve followed thoughts that led to pages and pages of handwriting into my next book, and I have witnessed the pauses when I touched on a tough concept or memory.

In the simplicity something that is beyond words happens. I felt the power of retreat – simply being together in a shared space where we are all in this together creates a palpable and magical force (I say “magical” because I’m never entirely sure what happens, but I feel it every time). While I can meditate and write on my own, and do on an almost daily basis, coming together to do these things amplifies it all in a lovely way. Having this community, a set schedule, and shared practice create the container where the magic comes to life as we each get in touch with our own inner wisdom, guidance, insight and as we share our moments of challenge and stuckness as well as our inspired moments of flow.

Pure and simple moments also included time with my precious little 3 year old great niece showing me her room, cuddling up and saying, “I love our whole family;” playing with my 6 year-old great nephew and his imaginary dog friend, Leo, who has a different attitude every day (thankfully it was a happy attitude the day he jumped on my head!) and watching his eyes light up with delight as he wove ever more intricate details of Leo/Liam’s adventures! Sharing lunch with my nieces, talking with their husbands, and introducing my sister and brother-in-law to the artistry and charm of Brandi Carlile, the twins, and Josh in their livestreaming campfire concert. A sweet hug and deep conversation with an old friend; sharing a walk to the local coffee shop to retrieve our mid-day drinks with our retreat group. Fun “girlfriend time” with my sister. Taking in the serene beauty of the deer, hummingbirds, and the nightly serenade of crickets and frogs. It’s been a week of precious, simple moments and memories – too many to recount.

And, the plan was, that yesterday, I would make another big transition – get on a plane and fly back across the country to reunite with my husband. Amazing how air travel lets us travel thousands of miles in a matter of hours.

Except… when it doesn’t quite work out. Yesterday was one of those days. My flight was at 3:50 and at 11:19 I received a text from Southwest simply stating, “SWA Flight #5269 from AUS is cancelled. Go to Southwest.com to rebook…” What!? I was shocked and confused – it’s not blizzard season! What the heck!? I tearfully called my husband as the first step in the process to give him a heads-up before I logged on to begin to figure things out.

As I looked at flight schedules, it became clear that there were no more flights that day, no seats available today, and it would be two full days before I could claim a seat to get back home. Okay, then… Time to reschedule my PT, haircut, and acupuncture and connect with my client… But first, I’m making that dinner reservation! Dammit, if I’m going to be here, we are going to eat well! We hadn’t felt like going out the night before, so let’s make the most of this!

Talking with my family, I shared a little worry that Friday’s flight might also be cancelled… it’s a holiday weekend, so it could be extra tricky (today’s report of 2+ hour lines to check bags today and 2.2 million travelers planning to fly out of Austin this weekend – the highest in 21 years confirmed that it’s going to be more than tricky!). Yikes! My niece wisely and calmly looked my way and asked, “What are you going to do with that worry?” Great question! I considered it for a moment and said, “Well, right now, I’m going to feel it… and let it be here and move through me” (or something like that – it felt true and she liked my answer! Bonus!).

I was shaken and simultaneously aware that I am very lucky to be in a beautiful home with people who love me enough to let me stay on and that this is a very first world problem… AND that I still get to be shaken, saddened, and worried. Talking with my son and husband helped me to begin to process and adjust to the idea that the freshly stripped bed needed to be re-made, the perfectly packed suitcases (really, I was way more organized than usual) had to be reopened, and I had to/got to settle back in for a couple of bonus days with my family. My practice allowed me to do all of that relatively automatically.

Cultivating a heart that can hold it all… this is what it’s about. Disappointment mixed with the delight of fresh opportunity, sadness mixed with joy and enjoyment, a little concern of being a burden, and acceptance that this is what’s here for me today. I’m consciously trying to stay in the moment and to be here now even as I notice my thoughts flit ahead to tomorrow… what time should I realistically get to the airport? What happens if I check my bags and then they cancel my flight? Will I get home in time to be at my friend’s son’s celebration of life? Will I get to see my son on Sunday? Or will I be in Austin and get treated to the local incredible 4th of July fireworks that they say they can see right out the backyard from the heavenly patio that has offered such beauty and peace this week?

We shall see… For now, in this moment, I am grateful for the extra time, for being in a safe and comfortable place with people I love who can and will share it with me, for a delicious leftover lunch and plans for an uplifting movie date with my sister, and for my awareness that where I place my attention makes a world of difference in my experience of life. I choose to find the good within this change of plan rather than continuing to be upset or to worry.

Fingers crossed for a smooth airport check-in and ease-ful on-time cross-country travel at the same time I let go of control I don’t have anyway. If you’d hold that vision with me, I’d appreciate it, and I’ll take it one moment at a time. It’s really all any of us can do. This moment is pretty sweet.

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Real Life, Reality, and Retreat

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H is for Hope

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Out of the Darkness...Into the Light

Gratitude... a Practice that has Changed My Life

One Step at a Time!

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