Inspired Possibility Blog

Practice...In Real Life

7/1/2021

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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An Invitation to Reflect as You Move Forward

6/13/2020

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In the past 3 months, our world and our lives have changed in epic and unprecedented ways. There is no "going back" to anything. We can only move forward into a new chapter.  As we do, we each have the opportunity right now to pause, to reflect, to choose who we want to become, to choose what role we want to play in the new story.

We don't know what the future holds - ever - though it certainly feels more true right now than ever before. This can feel super unsettling. There is no road-map for us to follow as we step forward. We crave certainty, and yet we find time and again that the only certainty is that things will change.

So, now what? I invite you to spend some time with these questions... reflecting, sitting with them, and maybe journaling about any that interest you. Give yourself a few minutes of free writing - allow your pen to keep moving across the page without stopping so that you can tap beneath the surface and find your way to deeper insights. How long you write on any question is up to you, but you might try starting with 3 minutes and see what emerges.

We will be best able to step into the world in a grounded way when we have taken the time to get centered in ourselves. Important wisdom will come from within and beyond - a wisdom that can best be accessed in the quiet moments of a pause and reflect.

Offer yourself this gift. Take a moment to center yourself. Take a few deep breaths. Close your eyes. Maybe put your hands on your heart and earnestly consider these questions:

In the past 3 months...
1. What have you learned about yourself?

2. What have you learned about life and our world?

3. What has revealed itself as important to you?

4. What are you ready or willing to leave behind? What does not serve you? What no longer feels as important as it once did? What old beliefs or stories are ready to be discarded?

5. What would you like to carry forward? What has emerged during this time as something you don't want to forget about, take for granted, or stop doing?

6. What do you want to remember so that you don't go back to sleep, trying to "go back to normal?" It's so easy to slip back into old patterns, habits, and ways of thinking. Taking the time to reflect on this question and write out your answers will help keep you connected to any new insights you've had.

7. What is essential to you? What are your true priorities? What really matters? A friend recently noted, "We only get so many heartbeats." Let's let our moments and lives reflect our values, our desires, our priorities.

As we step into this next chapter:
8.Who do you want to become? You might reflect on this in terms of "I want to become someone who..." paying particular attention to the qualities you'd like to cultivate, the values you'd like to embody and reflect in your words and actions.

9. What is your vision for a better future for your kids, grandkids and their grandkids? Paint a picture of the future life you imagine, thinking about humanity, our planet, how we interact with one another... whatever comes up for you as important.

10. What commitments will you make right now to be part of a better tomorrow? For yourself, for your family, your community, your country, other people, animals, and the planet.

11. Knowing that you are no good to yourself, to anyone else, or to any cause that you care about unless you take good care of yourself, what promise will you make to yourself right now regarding your own self-care? Think about your body, mind, heart, and spirit as you consider this. Which area(s) most need your attention and TLC, and is there one area, that if tended to, supports each of the other 3 areas?

Would you love some support?  Consider joining Soul Care: A Self-Care Sanctuary if you would appreciate a weekly refuge to connect with others who are dedicating this time to strengthen their own self-care practice. It's hard to do this work alone! Together is so much better!!

The opportunity is here for us to let these devastating, unsettling experiences matter for the better. Let them lead us into despair, but let them call us forward into possibility.

We are at a turning point, individually and collectively, and together we can turn the tide for a better, more healthy, more just, more peaceful, and more sustainable tomorrow. I truly believe this.

This will not be a quick fix or an easy turnabout. People will resist. You will likely resist. The struggle will be real. AND, the struggle will be worth it. Trying to go back to the old ways will show us that they no longer work for so many reasons.

After you've done your inner work, find those who can teach you and support you. Those who can help you reveal your blind spots. Those who help you to discover new perspective. Those who can help you shed old beliefs and old stories.

Then, let's go forward together. Let's rise up from the destruction and build anew, imagine anew, and create anew.

What do you stand for? How strongly are you willing to stand upon that as you act, speak, and create? What possibility are you willing to consider, even if it seems unlikely or impossible, admitting to yourself that you do not know how things will turn out?

I'm with you! Let's get started... one step at a time...committing to be in this for the long haul.

Feeling unsettled in these tumultuous times?
Join me for Light on the Hill's 2-part series: Uncertainty and Trust which begins this Tuesday, June 16th. I will be one of the panelists in the June 23rd conversation.

I'd love to hear any reflections you'd like to share below in the comment section.

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Happy Birthday, Ethel!

5/25/2020

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It’s Memorial Day. And, it’s also my mother-in-law’s birthday. She would have been 95, and our missing her is strong, as she’s only been gone for a couple of months. This morning I reflected on the life she lived and the tenacity, persistence, strength, and heart it must have taken for her to live it.

Her husband died in 1965, leaving her with 4 boys to raise (from my husband who wasn’t yet even a year old to his oldest brothers who were both already in college). She had to learn to find an inner strength in the midst of what I imagine was tremendous grief. She had to learn to ask for help, which I imagine did not come easily to this fiercely independent woman. What she didn’t need to do was to find another man to complete her. She knew she was complete as she was, and nobody was going to tell her how to parent!

Ethel, I love you, and I honor you, and I am so very grateful for all that you did for us and for our boys. They love you with all their hearts and will never forget the special relationship you had. Thank you for being an integral part of our lives. Thank you for giving birth to Tom and raising him to be such an amazing man, husband, and father. Ethel, you done good! Are you kidding me!? You done great!! You are a hero.

On this day, which happens to also be Memorial Day, as we honor the heroes of this land, I include you. Against all odds, you raised 4 boys to be independent, strong, wise, loving, caring men who each was able to walk his own path, find his own way, and become who he was born to be.
But, that wasn’t enough for you, dear lady. Your heart was so big that you helped the lost ones in school – the kids who no one else was able to help or support; the kids that others thought were a problem. You showed up for them, loved them, and found a way to teach them. What’s more is they delighted you with their mischievous ways!!

That wasn’t enough. Your mission in this life was to help kids, and you wanted to do even more! So, at the youthful age of 60 you decided to become a foster mother. Wow! I know you saved some lives and families with your commitment to loving and supporting them through some tough, tough times. Thank you. I honor you.

Thank you for your service. Thank you for showing your boys what a strong, independent woman does! You amaze me, and thank you for unleashing my heart and soul to flourish. Witnessing you and learning from you has helped me to claim my strength and to find my way. You broke the mold you were told to live in, and have helped me to do the same!

Thank you for bringing your fierceness in alongside my mom’s softness and quiet strength. You have both shown me what it’s like to rise above the adversity of unexpected and deep loss and to find your way in uncharted territory, carving out your own way, living a life that was full and rich and fulfilling. Each one of you being you. In your way.

Yes, the men of our families went to war, and today they will be remembered and honored, and today I also remember and honor the women who carried on at home. The women who somehow tended to themselves and their families until they could break free to be who they were born to be. The women who climbed Bald Mountain in their 70’s!! Today I honor you women who showed me how to live and love deeply and fiercely. Women who showed me that you don’t curl up and die when the going gets tough, but you somehow find a way to keep on going and find the things that bring you joy!

Happy birthday, Ethel! I hope you and Betty have found one another and are having a great picnic party today!!

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The Invitation and Gift of This Day

4/19/2020

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I have been given this life and this day… let me not waste it on worry, fear, or dismay. Let me greet it as the gift it is and use it wisely – not feeding panic, anger, or judgment. Let me walk gently upon this earth, among these people, bringing love, kindness, and compassion. Let me take all of our well-being as a serious concern and act accordingly. Let me take care of myself, my family, and our home in a way that honors us and all beings. Let me be prepared – but not unreasonably so.
Let me take care of our needs without taking more than I need, leaving others with none.

The time for injustice, inequity, and inequality is over. The time to love and care for one another, for all beings, for the earth is here. Now. How will I respond to this moment? How will we, as a people, respond to this moment in time? How will we stay awake and not return to the mind-numb reality we have been in for far too long?

We can no longer be reckless with our lives, believing we exist as separate from others. No. We have been shown the depth and vastness of our coexistence and interdependence. There is a gift in that if we only remember. If only we respond wisely.

Now is not a time for folly or fight. Now is the time for us to come together, to rise together, to be better than we were before… not by possessing more or earning more or even doing more, but by caring more, by respecting one another more, by loving more. By choosing to look. To see. To respond to the devastation, we have caused to our earth, to our people, to all beings. We have to be brave enough to look and to see. And, then from there, choose and act.

We must not forget when this time seems to be over. We must allow ourselves to be changed in the best possible way by the devastation and destruction of today so that it has not been for naught. There is a gift in this day, and there is an invitation. How will we respond?

What thoughts or insights does this bring up for you? Please share in the comments.

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Maybe Time Running Out is a Gift...

2/6/2020

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“Maybe time running out is a gift. I’ll work hard til the end of my shift. And give you every second I can find…” – Jason Isbell – “If We Were Vampires”

How does this land for you? This reality that time is running out. That life won’t last forever, no matter how much we want to pretend it will – not for you or for those you love. When this reality smacks you in the face (a death, a diagnosis), for a minute you wake up and choose differently. But, then, if you’re like most of us, you go back to business as usual…

My hope is to help us each wake up just a little bit more. To choose the life we want to live. To prioritize the way we spend our precious time and energy. To decide who gets to be part of our days – not just by default because they are here, but because with this person around, life is better.

My hope is that you will begin to take some of those things off of your bucket list or out of your dream box and move toward them. In some small way. Even if you can’t do “the big thing” yet, how can you breathe a little life into that thing you desire, that trip you want to take, that place you want to see, that thing you want to (and know you are meant to) create?

This just doesn’t have to be hard, but it does require that you show up. Show up for your life, for your dreams, for your visions, your hopes, and be willing to hold onto them tenderly and lovingly as you plant seeds and take baby steps forward.

This is particularly important if and when your life includes a fair bit of darkness, chaos, and fearful uncertainty, as mine does. I've found that living within that reality has compelled me to savor life's sweetness and to embrace my life more fully maybe even more than I would if things were more steady. I know in any moment tragedy can strike (whether I'm enjoying my life or not) and that death will come, but for now, while I'm alive and able, I choose to live. I choose to enjoy.

Things that seem to happen spontaneously often aren’t spur of the moment at all, but rather a result of so many seeds being planted, steps taken, dreams held over the years and decades.

For instance, my dream of owning a horse took 25 years to come into reality. It was something I wanted for as long as I can remember, something I schemed about each year as I put “horse” boldly on my Christmas list and laid out the plans of how our backyard was definitely big enough and the second garage would provide the perfect stall.. no matter that we lived in a suburban neighborhood that maybe had ordinances against dreams like this. To me, that girl who was horse crazy, that didn’t matter – I just felt in my bones that I was meant to have a horse. My dad, unfortunately, didn’t seem to agree… and so, I rode when I could, I cleaned stalls in trade for a free lease, I made friends with an adult who could drive me to the barn and who’d ride with me. When I was older, I continued to conjure ways to ride and train in exchange for services I could provide. And, finally, when the horse who was meant to be mine came along, I played with my finances in a way that “worked” and talked with my fellow dream conspirator, my husband, who said, “Let’s go for it!”

You see, I had never let go of this dream, even though it very much felt out of reach for me. I kept it alive in my heart. I watered it with longing. I didn’t work really hard to make it come to be, but I was ready when the opportunity came around. And, if you read my other post about Sport, you know that this “dream horse” was NOT ideal in so many ways… a first time owner should probably not buy a slightly too small, definitely too hot and fiery beast that only one person on the farm (not me) could handle. The logic didn’t matter. My heart said, “Yes! Leap here! Do this thing. Now is the time!” Even though he was not an expensive horse in any way, he did cost more than these newlyweds had readily available. My heart that could see beyond the budget that had $16 left before groceries said, “Sure…pay for this dream to become true. Why not? We can and we will (and we did) figure out the details later.”

Why do I tell you all of this? Because I want you to tap into what’s alive for you right now! Because I want you to see that there are ways to get creative in fulfilling dreams that feel out of reach, unrealistic, that others may not understand, or that just seem plain unlikely to ever happen. What choices do you know you need to make for the well-being of your whole self? What do you want to stretch for that might feel out of reach? What trip have you put on hold? What class have you wanted to take? Maybe you’ve wanted to try a new way of eating but don’t know how… Whatever it is, whether it’s a “big thing” or not, how can you plant some seeds today toward it?

“It’s knowing that this can’t go on forever” (Jason Isbell, “If We Were Vampires”) that calls us to feel the urgency to live life while we can, while we’re healthy enough, while we’re young enough, while we’re here.

What baby step or mini choice will you take in the direction of a dream that scares you and excites you all at once? Please share below and let’s stop waiting for conditions to be “just right.” Because, you know what? They may never be… but today, you are here. You’re reading this, and there’s something that wants your attention, that wants you to believe in it enough to nurture it to life! And, I am cheering you on!

Oh, and this song that I’ve referenced twice now… here it is! Close your eyes, soak it in, listen deeply, and see if it speaks to you as it does to me. Let me know. And If you have another anthem that fuels and inspires you, share that here to so that we can all grow our playlists!!

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A Vow

1/1/2020

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Often in our lives we make vows that serve to keep us safe or comfortable, but don’t really serve us in the grander scheme of things… vows like, “I’ll show them!” “I will NEVER be like _______!” (likely someone who probably has some good qualities as well as whatever you are reacting to right now). “ I am not someone who ______!” (takes a risk that might actually bring joy or peace). “I will never love again!” “This is just who I am.” You get the idea… do you have any of these?

This morning I awoke with a strong vow brewing within me, needing to be expressed. This is what it is – I vow to bring something positive out of our experience with addiction into this world. And, more importantly, I vow that addiction will NOT take my life, regardless of what it does to my son. It does not have to break me, shatter me, or my world.

This came to me almost as a promise to my son as I reflected on people I love, people who are my teachers – this journey will not be for nothing. I feel a strong awareness and strength that I am still here. I am still standing…despite many years of turbulence. I will do something positive and not let this monster destroy me, destroy us. I am taking a stand for my life, my marriage, my work, and my larger family.  This is a stand I can take against this beast which seeks to consume and destroy my son, as well as everything in its wake.

I get to draw the line on where its damage stops. It does not get to take everything from me. Period. That is within my control. I do not have the disease. It is not coursing through my veins and brain, and it does not get to define me or my life.

This feeling is strong and vital as it surges through me – this life force energy that declares, “I will live. I will thrive. You cannot take me too.” It’s not an angry reactive feeling, but rather a deeply calm, clear, and oh-so-strong knowing deep, deep, deep in my soul.

I have purpose. I have passion, and I will embody them and be a light in this world. A lighthouse. A beacon for those who are lost in stormy waters. I do not have to go down with my son, and I most certainly will not, no matter how many times it beats at my shores, knocks me down, tears at my heart. Again, and again I will stand – I will rise again and lift others up as we stare down this beast, and say, “NO! Your damage stops here!”

Well, all righty then… happy New Year! Here I am world! Apparently writing my manifesto for the decade… The power in this image and these words is palpable. I am here. I am alive. I claim my life and step boldly, strongly into 2020, this year, this decade, this next day of my life.

That’s all each of us is asked to do in any given moment – just show up. Don’t give up. Don’t hide out. Show up. The world needs what each of us has to bring and no one else has what you have to offer. Your experiences, your vision, your words, your creativity – uniquely yours and deeply needed. It doesn’t matter what’s already been said or done… no one else has done or ever will do what YOU have to offer. There is only one _____________ (insert your name here), and there will never be another like you.

We each have demons and things that threaten our well-being, peace of mind, and happiness. What are yours and what stand do you want to take on behalf of yourself this day?

As for me? I vow to make this life matter. I vow to take what I’ve learned from some of my most painful experiences and offer them as hope, strength, and inspiration. And, I vow to enjoy my life – to live while I can, with no waiting. I will be brave and courageous and wholehearted in my living – thank you, Brene´ Brown for that inspiration! I am here and I choose to live!

How about you?
As you step into this day, this new year, this new decade, what vow will you make as a heart promise to yourself? Where can you be a light? Please drop me a note or share below. I’d love to hear! Together we help each other to see possibilities we may not have imagined before. I stand beside you as we journey boldly into this new moment.

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Do You Feel Free?

7/1/2019

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I woke one morning last week clearly hearing this question in a woman’s voice in my head: “Barb, do you feel free?” It has stayed with me since then. It’s hung around because I’m not sure how to answer it. In many ways, yes, I absolutely feel very free. And then there are the ways I don’t… the ways I hold myself back and the reasons I do. The things I let stop me. The beliefs behind those decisions. The people I care about and what I think they need from me. Responsibilities, obligations, and commitments. Financial realities. Rules and laws.

What does “free” even mean? Apparently that’s a great question since Merriam-Webster has 15 definitions, many with their own sub-definitions… Take a look and see which ones you are curious about.

The one thing that helps me to feel free is to remember that I am always at choice -- as long as I am willing to accept the consequences of my choice. I don’t get to choose how other people behave, but I am not powerless about how I respond. I get to decide what my role will be, what words I will say and what actions I will take.

I don’t get to choose my feelings – they come in without warning quite naturally. But I do get to choose what I do with those emotions. How I respond, how much weight I give them, how long I stay with them.

I do have choice, even though I may not realize it in the moment.
Freedom to choose is paramount.
.
I think I’ll spare you further musings while I continue to ponder this question that is landing deep in my being and invite you to join me.

Do you feel free? What does “free” mean to you and how do you know if you are or aren’t? Where do you feel free? Where do you feel trapped or powerless? How might you bring in some more freedom to your days? Why is free important? What would life be like if you were free?

Here’s one of my favorite songs to accompany you as you explore.

Please, please share in the comments below. This feels like a rich conversation! I look forward to hearing your insights and thoughts.

Thanks for playing!

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This Too Shall Pass...

3/19/2019

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What’s your reaction when you hear this message?

I’ve had very different responses, depending on my own state
of mind and what the current “this” is that I know will pass.

These words can bring comfort when I’m facing something difficult. But, they can also feel patronizing or dismissive if I’m deep
into nastiness and can’t even imagine seeing my way out!
Honestly, sometimes I just don’t want to hear it because I want
to wallow for a bit. Wallowing isn't necessarily bad.

The same message can also bring a sense of sadness when I’m
into something that I really am loving and I don’t want to ever
end. Who wants to have that dream vacation come to an end or
know that one day their time with the love of their life will come
to end?
(Check out “If We Were Vampires” by Jason Isbell if you want to have a good cry over this reality).

Nothing lasts forever.

But, in reality, these words speak the truth. Good news, bad news… nothing lasts forever! Even
if we want it to. We live in a temporary state of health and aliveness, and every now and then we
get those big reminders. Someone dies. Someone gets diagnosed. There’s a tragic
mass shooting. A house burns down. You get the idea…
And for a minute we recommit to the urgency of living our life full out!

And, then we forget and drift back into our old habits and ways, perhaps mindlessly going
through our days. Hours and days drift by and we don’t even know where they've gone or
what we've done.

Where there is breath there is possibility.

Where there is breath there is possibility. Where there is possibility there is hope. Where there
is hope there is life. How will you live yours?

What petty things can you let go of? Where can you find some surrender and acceptance?
What priorities deserve your attention?

If you were to embrace the idea that “this too shall pass” what would change for you?
Please share in the comments and let’s all step into this life, accepting this very real human truth
just a little bit more.

If you'd like to give yourself the gift of retreat to slow down in a space that fosters this type of
inner reflecgtion, please join me for one of my upcoming retreats. Our next opportunity is
this Saturday, March 23rd at the Mercy Spirituality Center in Rochester, NY - come and give
yourself A Time to Pause!

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Where Can You Find More Joy?

1/28/2019

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Holy cow! Life can feel so hard, overwhelming, and heavy at times! Everywhere we look there’s something to worry about, something going wrong, something to be bothered by. Heavy! Exhausting… and I’m tired of being so tired by all that’s heavy and what I label to be “wrong.”

So, I find myself wondering where can I find more joy and fun in my everyday life.   How can I bring in lightheartedness and playfulness, even when there are sad and challenging things happening in my own circle and in the world at large? How might I create more beauty and softness around me?

Honestly, I need to take some time to consciously reconnect with what brings me joy, what I find fun. I’ve gotten a little out of touch with the carefree little girl I once was – this part of me that is still here but has been pushed aside for too long. Can you feel your little one alive within you, just waiting to be remembered?

It feels like it’s time for a shake-up and time to at all aspects of my life. The old habitual “things” and ways aren’t doing it right now. It’s time to look at my daily practices. It’s time to look at how I spend my time and who I spend time with. It’s time to notice how I am showing up and asking what I’m bringing to the party. For sure, what I put out is what I will attract. Misery loves company. But I don’t want more misery. I want joy! I want fun! I want to laugh and play!

How are you doing with your joy?
How about you? How are you wanting to feel? What do you want to attract into your world? Is it time for a change? Maybe you, too, have gotten in a rut and feel ready to mix things up a bit.

What is it that brings you joy, delight, laughter, lightheartedness, and fun? Take a moment and find a quiet place to sit with this question and see what bubbles up for you.

How can you plan for a little of this each day? It’s great to have vacations, retreats, date nights, and these types of peak experiences, but let’s make it simpler… In this season of darkness, how can you bring some light and beauty into your home? In this time of worry, what gives you reason to hope? Can you tap into that? In a time of sadness, fear, or despair, where can you find a little joy?

What might be possible if you had a little more delight and a little more hope?

Please share with us the ways that you find and create joy, fun, playfulness in your life in the comments below so that we can get some new ideas that we might try when our own are getting a little stale!

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Goodbye 2018. Hello New Year!

12/26/2018

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The new year is almost upon us – that magical time that comes once a year when the whole world seems to celebrate the turning of the calendar – this new beginning. A chance for a fresh start. And, while we know that every moment offers the chance for a fresh start, let’s ride this wave of collective energy and mindfully enter into 2019 with vision, intention, and hope.

Let’s look back on 2018 and carry its wisdom and strength with us as we distance ourselves from the things that wear us down, slow us down, or stop us from fully living our lives.

At this time of transition let’s reflect on the following questions. I invite you to try some journaling or free writing to allow the deep inner wisdom to emerge.

In the past year, what really made me feel alive? What stirred my passion? What lit my inner flame? What am I excited to remember?
What sorrows and losses did I experience this year?
What would I like to let go of as I step into 2019? Beliefs, stories, habits, people, things… ?
Who do I want to be in this new year? HOW do I want to be? Is there an energy or quality that I feel carrying me toward this year?
What do I hope to bring to life, to create, and to enjoy in 2019?
What am I no longer willing to do or be in 2019?
What is possible for me?

As you reflect on these questions, what supports do you want to put in place this year that will nourish and uplift you? Who would you like to have more time with? Less time with? Where are the places you long to go – places that fill your heart and soul? And, what else? What else arises for you as we gently say good-bye to 2018 and welcome ourselves into 2019 with love, compassion, curiosity, and tenderness?

Dear one, I wish for you all that you can imagine to be possible! And then some! Here’s to a sweet new year!!

If you are a mom who’s been impacted by your son’s or daughter’s addiction or other mental health conditions, I invite you to start the year with serenity. Join me and a small group of moms in Rochester, NY at the beautiful Mercy Spirituality Center January 11-13 as we take time to be nourished and nurtured, to connect with our inner wisdom and guidance, and gift ourselves with a foundation of self-care and self-compassion. Details and registration for Starting the Year with Serenity is here. Now through December 31st, save $50 off your registration by entering coupon code “holiday” simply for being part of this community. I would love for you to be part of this circle if this calls to you.

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Where Can You Find More Joy?

Goodbye 2018. Hello New Year!

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