Weekend Plans

Here's what I am doing this weekend. I am currently NOT a mixed media artist, I don't even play one in real life, but I'd like to. I have dreams and aspirations of making a big giant mess with paints, paper, stamps, and whatever other materials appear within my craft room. I've taken a couple of fabulous classes on-line and have learned some interesting techniques. I need/want to do a trial run for the art journal classes I'll be teaching this spring. I've spent the better part of six months gathering materials (which I am excellent at) I've spent the better part of this week gathering courage to actually make that big giant mess in my neat, tidy craft room (which I am not that great at). I'm really good at cleaning, organizing, collecting and not so wonderful at execution of said projects. They're all neatly filed in my head...time to see what's actually locked inside.

My Afternoon Indulgence

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I’ve recently indulged in this lovely canister, filled to the brim with Blueberry Bliss and Pineapple Kona Pop. I don’t usually buy fancy teas, in fact, I most often brew up the herbs from my own garden and those that I purchase in bulk that don’t grow easily or aren’t as prevalent my neck of the woods. When I’m at home, I brew loose leaves, though I take tea bags along whenever I travel. As we all know it’s much healthier than soda and makes water a bit more…..interesting!

About 10 years ago, while taking my professional training to become a Feng Shui Consultant I came across a wonderful store in the mall, Teavana! It lived up to it's name; it was like walking into tea heaven for me. I had a difficult time deciding which ones to buy. Since I was on a tight budget I opted for a couple of small bags. I don’t even remember the name but I do recall it had chocolate pieces and sunflower leaves. I used it very sparingly and made it last for a year.

On a recent excursion, I came across a Teavana store at the Flat Iron Crossing Mall. Heaven, revisited. I only had a short time and their selections had expanded since the last time I walked through the doors. Though at anytime I could buy tea on-line, there’s something special, magical about being in a tea store where you get to smell and savor and taste test! I landed on this combination, and WOW! It was LOVE at first taste. The sample had been sweetened slightly with German Rock Sugar, which I did not purchase. I am blessed with a brother/family that provides me with delectable honey from North Central Nebraska. I also splurged on this adorable tea cup, saucer, strainer and lid…..with BIRDS! (see previous posts if this is confusing!)

I spent 9 years of my life drinking Dr. Pepper at 2 pm to get over the afternoon sludge. When I left teaching to be at home with my daughter, I still experienced tired time and a craving for soda. I replaced that craving with herbal teas. I take a 10 minute break to heat the water, brew the tea and sip. That’s all I do for that time. My mind races, I think of all the things I need to do by the time the kids burst in the door and I don’t respond. I just sip.

I could add up the money I would spend on soda and compare it to the cost of the tea but I can already tell that this canister of tea will last MUCH longer. It also contains vital nutrients. Add the honey super-food and savor; nothing to feel guilty about here! “Thank you Ma’am, I’ll have another!”

What’s your healthy indulgence? Please share in the comment section below.

Therapy!

And not the retail kind either! This may appear to be a random post, but stay with the words and you'll see how this post matches the theme of change!

I haven't worn heels since a Dixie Chicks concert in 2002. It was around this time that I recognized I had something wrong with my left toe, I could barely bend it back into place. It wasn't until last summer that I decided I needed to do something about it! In November I had a bone spur removed. It was painful to say the least. I've stretched it daily and it is doing better but I'll be the first to admit that I am not naturally inclined to inflict pain on myself on a regular basis!

What I noticed was that stretching and bending REALLY HURT at the time but after a couple of hours or so, the constriction eased and I went longer without noticing pain. I made it a point to stretch my toe when I was typing, reading, brushing my teeth, and even eating! I worked it good but it still wasn't enough. What I needed was to have a "mold" that would hold my toe in an uncomfortable position for longer periods. What to do? What to do...........the answer: ORDER HEELS!

I found these cute "retro/vintage" looking ones and straped them on. The right foot feels....perfect. The left....OUCH. I found that I could only wear them for short periods of time at first. I've increased the time daily and today.......I've worn them since 8 am.

How does this support embracing change? What is your life feels painful and constricting? What might you be avoiding? When we sense pain, we tend to go in the opposite direction. Yet, sometimes, simply stoping and being willing to feel a bit of discomfort can actually reshape our thoughts and attitudes.

It is when we stretch, moving past our comfortable boundaries that we begin to grow. This growth need not happen all at once, it's more important that is happens continually. It's easy to become complacent and accepting of ourselves, the routines and relationships that we've created. None of us wish for discomfort and pain, yet in some ways, those less than supportive emotions and situations can open us to greater posibilites and postive changes. Just because something feels painful now doesn't mean it ALWAYS will. Sometimes we have to take small, calcuated steps toward a goal and intention. Great risk often implies amazing results. And if the results are not what you anticipated, rest assured, there will be a valuable lesson, either way.

One of the techniques I've learned is rather than avoiding and running from fear, we can stop and face it, head on. There's nothing more empowering to admit that something scares us or that we really hurt. Admitting how we feel, in any situation is vital for clarity.  When we recognize the value of our thoughts, feelings and emotions, even if no one else feels this way or can understand our viewpoint, we can connect the dots and see what we have to work through. This is not an obstacle, this is a stepping stone! And rather than feel guilty, we can celebrate the fact that we have the ability to feel pain, as well as joy. We can't clear out old patterns, habits and beliefs if we don't know where they are showing up and holding us back in our daily lives!

Step intot that which hurts, physically/mentally/emotionally. It may feel like a large wall, but there's no reason that it can't be dismantled brick by brick. Become the architect of your life. Create new foundations. If there is pain, welcome it. Focus intently on where it is showing up. Breathe and relax into it.........in small doses of coarse. Listen to the body, it will tell us when we've had enough for the day. Honor your efforts, even the smallest ones. And if it makes you feel better, buy yourself a new pair of heels (or whatever footwear suits you best). There's no reason why you can't look great paving your own path. I doubt I will wear these out to the chicken coop/goat pen, but when I take them off and slide into the good ol Muck boots, I notice that the pain is significantly less than the time before and the time before that.

Where is pain showing up for you right now? What can be done to make it your ally? Drop any resistance. Open up, breathe and if the mood strikes, go ahead and KICK UP THOSE HEELS!

Embracing Change

February is here and this marks the official shift of a brand new ki energy coming our way. Ki energies are those invisible life forces and "themes" that we work with each day, each month and each year. We are influenced by these natural energies; through careful observation and study we can recognize patterns around us, inviting us to acknowledge various lessons and opportunites to deepen learning of ourselves, others and the world around us.

Much is going on in our world right now. Change is here. Change has always been here and always will be. It just seems that the rate of change is something to take note of; we changing in accelerated ways. Technology and information exchanges happen in the blink of an eye and the click of a button. Phew! It can certainly be exhasting and can tax us on all levels.

I've sat with all the wonderful requests about suggestions for blog posting and I'll be sharing insight on embracing change, working with challenging situations and finding balance in daily life! Thank you for all the WONDERFUL suggestions. I've got ideas rolling now so stay tuned and you may just see your suggesting manifesting into a blog post! I appreciate the feedback and loved pouring through the emails. What fun.

Today, I'm reflecting on change. How we can change, shift and stay in the flow of our life. It seems that when we put our feet firmly down, resist and try to avoid change, that is when it knocks us off balance. Boulders in a river have the ability to divert the flow of energies around them. They stand their ground, unmoving and seemingly unchanged. However, they never see new view points, they don't have the gift of experincing new scenery or different people. They stay in the same place, day after day, year after year. The river stream can't force the rock to move but over time, it can wear it away. It can also create new channels around the boulder.. In life, we may want to be more like the river; flowing, adjusting, opening and allowing feedom between us and the boulders we meet along the way. Financial challenges, relationships, health problems, career shifts can all represent rocks in our stream, but they don't have to stop us. They may divert our attention for a bit, but it is us who determines the choice of going with the flow or resisting.

I encourage you to keep moving along. You don't have to go fast. You can stop and rest if you want or need to. By all means listen to your body and your heart. Take care of YOU. When the time comes to make a choice, we can use the best of the resources we have at hand. It's when we stop, when we resist and fight against those impossible boulders  that we loose focus of the river and it's beauty. This boulder is probably not where we want to live. Let's move on then! Change is not comfortable. It can be scarry as hell. It can also be exhilerating, it just depends on how we look at it. This river we call life, will take us places we didn't know we wanted to be and once we're there, we may decide we never want to visit again! Just keep moving; often something better does arrive, especially if we Do know what we want MORE of!

Being open and allowing abundant blessing to flow into our lives is no match for any boulder that we encouter.

Peace on your journey!

Breathing In Kindness

One kind word can warm three winter months~Japanese proverb

I took this picture at sunrise on the day of my birth in 2008. I reflect on the power of the sun's ability to shine even through the darkets of clouds. The heart is our "inner sun". It has the ability to open and allow us to feel love, even when the minds tells us to "close it down" and keep ourselves safe. But what do we miss if we play it safe? What experines pass us by if we are not willing to take chances? If we cling to what we know because we fear rejection, what amazing experiences are being pushed away?

I can't see the road ahead, I can only work with what is in front of me right now. I think one of the most important aspects of happiness is being willing to look at and work through some of the inner most fears we carry. Being afraid to get hurt often leads us to hurting more deeply than we need to. With enough worry,  fear and uncertainty floating around our personal worlds as well as the globe, I hope we all remember to share at least  few sincere and kinds words, with ourselves and one another. 

Letting our light shine isn't always easy. Picking ourselves up after a fall requires great strength. Having our hearts broken indicates we have loved deeply. That is something to celebrate.....after the pain lessens.  The greater the risk, the harder the fall.........or the higher the rise.....depending on how we choose to see it. And maybe, just maybe a more expansive viewpoint is what we are rewarded with when the dust clears? It doesn't have to scar us, but it can help shape our choices in the next moment and the moment after than and the moment after that...........

For all of you that read this, for all of you who are dealing with uncertainty, sadness, pain and fear, both known and unknown, keep that flame in your heart burning. It will serve you well. It may not make sense right now, but happiness is waiting for you, just under those clouds of doubt. Hold on to hope. Cling to possibility. Even if you can't see it yet, the light will find you.  

What kind word do you most need today? What kind word can you give away?

~A special thank you to my cowboy buddy, Ross, for today's inspirational quote~



How To Beat The Winter Blahs Part III

Today’s installment of How To Beat The Winter Blahs arises from something I’ve been doing consistently since fall. It’s likely not something that would feel like resemble “a big deal”, yet it has made an impact on my outlook and perceptions, especially in the heart of a very cold, snowy winter season.

I’m talking about the blessing of chores and animals that rely on our care. Many of the people that read my blog are persons who take care of others, both in human and animal form. Service to others is actually vital to our well being! Taking care of others, be it feeding hungry animals, scooping the walk of an appreciative neighbor, giving a friend a ride to work, or making a home-cooked meal are all ways that we can connect more deeply to those around us.

It is easy, at least for me, to become closed in and constricted. I don’t like to go out and I hate being cold. So what is the one thing I have to do EVERY DAY? Feed animals. It doesn’t matter if it is 100 or 10 degrees. They rely on my for breakfast and supper. I find that when I make the effort to go out of my “comfort zone” (not without my smartwool socks and beanie) I open into a more expansive point of view. I notice the unique snow formations around the tomato tank. I appreciate the warmth of the coop and praise God for the invention of heated bowls! I notice and appreciate far more than I would if I was in the house and didn’t have such tasks to tend to.

I think it is easy in our fast-paced society to forget about the importance of service to others. Looking directly into someone’s eyes, expressing a sincere thank you, letting other people know they genuinely matter, even if the weather sucks, can and does lift the spirit. I believe this and I practice it daily.

It may seem hard to believe, but I have an intense hermit streak that I occasionally have to give in to. I could easily stay right here at home, not leaving for a month to connect with the outside world. I’m at home BEING ME! While that is great and good, it can close me off to others and the outside world. I forget that my problems and challenges are the same as those shared by others. I forget that “I’m not the only one that has ever felt this way.” Connecting to others and being in service IS important. Winter does make it challenging to get out and stay connected and yet, making that effort to get out is what can also free us from those blah, yucky feelings. I’ve found it’s usually not what we want to do, it’s what we know we need to, do that can get us unstuck!

I hope I don’t sound like I’m preaching to anyone! Several friends and even clients have asked what I do to remain “bubbly and sunny”, (me bubbly?!?!) and these are my recommendations:

1.) Surround yourself with LIFE, green, living growing things and especially vibrant colors. When it’s cold and dull outside, it is important to refresh and enhance our inner environments. Consider changing your pictures and art to brighter shades and tones. Just because it’s crappy outside doesn’t mean it can be colorful and refreshing inside!

2.) Get out and move. Move your physical body as much as you move your mental body. If you are in an office, it is VITAL that you get some time outside, breathe in fresh air and take the opportunity to be in nature. Winter tends to slow things down, moving helps counterbalance stagnation.

3) Be in Service To Others: No matter what flock you are tending, do it with full out JOY. Taking care of others can help us appreciate our gifts, traits and talents. It can also broaden our perspective as well as boost our own and others’ moral. The challenges that we deal with are likely the same as what others are dealing with too. Isolation and depression can be lifted when we share directly with others, especially when we can help them in a meaningful way.

Of coarse there are MORE ideas (always are!) so please share your favorites in the comment section below!

Happy sledding, or skiing or sliding or snowball fighting!

How To Beat The Winter Blahs Part II

Weather wise today has been really blah. It was, and still is, cold and crisp. That break in the weather yesterday was a rare treat. We all knew it too. Whispy white flakes of snow layered the grown as I looked out the north window, though it didn't amount to much. It was just a reminder that winter is still very much present.....and it's not going to go away for awhile.

To counterbalance the effects of this season, I'm making at effort, sometimes a HUGE one, to get out and walk. While I'd love to walk at the same time every day, this doesn't always happen. Every day is different from the next and following a schedule has never been a forte of mine. I do set the intention to get out in nature and go for a walk daily, whenever the opportunity arises. This morning I rushed inside to get to the many things on my list. As I knocked them off, one by one, I contemplated skipping my walk: it was cold, blustery and well.......COLD. I dislike freezing and sweating so I tend to not enjoy my winter walks as much as those in other seasons. I mean really, if you have to wear a coat to work out, what's the point?!?!

My point is this......get moving! Even if you are not trying to firm up, shed pounds or get in shape, taking a walk does refresh your entire system and shifts your focus. I'm the first to profess that I am not a fan of winter and cold and yet sometimes, it is the perfect antidote to flaring tempers, poopy attitudes and the feeling of constriction that comes from being inside. Cabin Fever, SAAD and other forms of lower energies is probably a direct correlation of being stuffed inside for several months.

Of coarse we know this is true, yet, what we know does not always direct our actions. I could tell I needed to do something different when the kids were home and I had a claustrophobic reaction to their fighthing. Mama HAD to get outside! I don't think I've walked that hard and fast for a long time. The good news is, no heads rolled, all bodies remained in tact and I was able to "cool off" significantly (while sweating profusely) before I re-entered my quasi-Utopia! It made such an impact that night that I've been taking a daily, fast walk since. I can't really tell if it is helping my figure, I'm still piling on the layers but I'll make that assessment come Spring.

While walking certainly hasn't erased all my frustrations, it has helped a great deal in giving me time to refocus. I do feel more relaxed, refreshed and rejuvinated. There is still a part of me that would love to spend my day on the couch, wrapped in quilts and covered in great books, I just keep putting her off until next Sunday.

If you haven't hit the road in a whille, I encourage you to do so. It may be just what you need to get the blood pumping, lift your attitude/outlook. Even if you have to wrap up in a few extra layers, there are still many "treats" that Mother Nature has to offer. It's not her fault we have to suffer through this miserable

season!

Please note: The opinions expressed in this blog are solely based on the author's long standing attitude towards the drab, miserable, seemingly never-ending cold weather harbored by Winter. Someday when she has the funds to do so, she will live in a place that has summer year 'round. She will spend most of her day in a hammock, gazing at the ocean and an abundance of living GREEN plants. If you live in an area that is lusciously green and warm this time of year, please send her a picture, she's completely forgotten what is is like to be in such a location!

We Have the Power To.........

Dear Blog Readers,


I miss you! I haven’t forgotten about you. It seems that this new year has arrived equipped with rocket fuel and I am being projected forward is several exciting and unexpected ways. Don’t worry though, I’m learning (albeit slowly) to balance all these fabulous experiences and you’ll soon see more in-depth and hopefully entertaining posts.

I’ve not been able to “mobile blog” as much because my old phone fizzled out. I replaced it with a different version and while I love the larger screen (MUCH EASIER TO READ) it is not conducive to sending random thoughts on the go. Again, adjustment required (seems to be my personal theme these days!)

So where do you find yourself being whisked away to as our year gets under way? As a Nine Star Ki practitioner (what I do when I’m not doing anything children, animal, home/ranch related) I can look at energetic themes and trends within each year and month. My personal themes indicate deep personal change and transformation which is both exciting and frightening. And the truth is it is all how we look at the situation(s). Do we cling to what we know? Or do we throw our hair back, jump on and ride the wave?

Perception, how we CHOOSE to look at any event or situation is going to be KEY to our happiness in the year to come. I’d like to share a wonderful quote shared via my good  'ol cowboy buddy, Ross, “If you’re not blessed thankful or lucky………change” ~Karma

Yep, that pretty much sums it up. Our happiness, our reality is entirely based on the perception we adopt. We can wake up to a gorgeous, snow crystal world, one that is unique and rare and could never exist in July or we can wake up grumbling and cursing old Man Winter. We can bundle up and build snowmen in a small town in Nebraska or we can ignore the opportunity to make other people laugh, sulking about this and that.

I really don’t know where we’re headed in the coming months but I have a pretty strong idea that how we choose to look at each day and every moment is going to determine our highest levels of success.

Face the sun, open your mind and heart and go forward to infect everyone around you with a positive, loving attitude. Together I DO believe we can all move mountains and……….huge piles of snow!

Today's Dynamic Details

Every day is DYNAMIC! In the busy events and the perpetual "track meet" that we often find ourselves in  it can also be easy to loose focus and forget the fabulous things that come our way in a 24 hour span. For the next four weeks, I am facilitating a Dynamic U class. Already, we've started off with a "bang" as we recognize how powerful we REALLY are! One of our first feats together was "blowing up a phone line". Yep. We did it! True story!

It feels that sometimes we equate dynamic with a trait or even a person "outside of ourselves". Some may think that we have to "live large" and be "Rock Star Great" to be dynamic. That is soooo not the case. The fact that we recognize dynamic tendencies means that they already exist in us! What we see on the outside is simply a reflection of what is already present within.

"To support participants, family, friends, (and yes, even me!) and to stay within the consciousness of postive intentions, vibraitons and the choice to fully embrace our amazing potential, I'll be recording the Dynamic Details of the day. These highlights are a sort of gratitude list to recognize the wonderful forms and examples of how "Dynamic" has shown up in daily life.

I am inviting YOU to share your Dynamic Details in the comment section. Together we can raise the vibrations and the consciousness of our community, state, nation and planet! Recognizing what we already have, what is continually pouring in for us, and  focusig on what it IS that we do want more of , helps us attract a multitude of blessings! We don't have to work at being DYNAMIC, we ALREADY ARE! 

Here are my Dynamic Details for today:
*Surviving (with grace) my daughter's rebellion over no t.v. (I just walked away.......)
*Bio-Feedback session with my dear friend Terri
*FINALLY receiving a package I've waited for since March 31st
*Two girls offering their place in line---impressive dynamic there!
*Seeing one of my Sweet Soul Sisters!
*PJ agreeing to wait a week to have her teeny tiny ears pierced
*My spaz dog sitting right on my feet while I type this
*The idea to share in this way!!!!

I look forward to your DD's!
Shine On!

I Miss This

I know that summer is getting closer and closer and I just can’t wait. I’ve longed for consistent sunshine, warm days and the joy of being able to walk right out to my garden to procure fresh veggies for lunch. I have some mouth-watering recipes that I’m excited to try out but first I need fresh tomatoes, licorice basil and soft mozzarella cheese!

What I most miss is GREEEN! I love living, green things all around me. I love looking out across the canyons and seeing a fresh carpet of rolling green grass. I even love wild sunflowers that wave to me as I walk down the road. Summer is definitely the season when I feel most vibrant and I just can't wait...............

Last night as we were walking the dogs I caught a whiff of the delicate plum blossoms. I don't know if they will survive the wind and rain that we are due to have this weekend. Pryce and I stopped for a while to bury our noses in the blossoms. They felt so fragile and soft. I loved watching her wild, untammed hair fly behind her as she ran down the road singing her newest "baby blossom" song. Images like this make my heart happy and make me really glad that I live where I do. 

Yesterday was an intense day. Though I put fourth my best effort, a lot of things didn't pan out. I could have dwelled on this and yet, the image of those blossoms and my girl running and giggling was what I went to sleep thinking of. Most of us don't feel like we can take time to smell the roses, there may be a tendency to just pick 'em and smell 'em on the run. Instead of running the next day's to-do list, I found myself drifting off into an orchard, far, far away.

Today is overcast and pretty dreary. Even the skylights that normally fill our house with natural, nourishing sunlight can't do their job if there is cloud cover. Summer's warmth, light and potential is on my mind today. I'm going to spend the morning reorganizing and putting things back in their places. I've been researching chickens, goats and gardens and instead of the kids, its Mom who has her stuf all over the table and floors!

I need to go check on the baby chicks too. By the way, I take back most of what I said in the post the other day about them being easy! The little suckers are become more work as they get bigger! I'm cleaning out their shavings often and wrangling the Cuckoo Marans. I'm convinced they've got quite a head start over the others. They are huge and loud and wild. Parker has his work cut out for him. The two black baby ducks definitely are winning a place in my heart. Oh they are precious...........and growing. I can't see a lot of growth in the chicks but the ducks have sprouted almost instantly. I still love watching their antics and I do enjoy hanging out with them, I'll enjoy it a lot more when they are settled into their cozy, spacious home and I am not bending down to constantly scoop poop! I'm pretty sure one of my kids needs to take that job on (I'd pay very well!)

Thanks for tuning in and reading! I had some wonderful messages regarding yesterday's Wisdom Wednesday post! It makes my day to know that what is coming through inspires and touches others, I love it! If there are particular topics or issues that you are interested in hearing more about, feel free to leave a comment on here, facebook or twitter!

Have a great day! If it is overcast and dreary where you are, this is a wonderful invitation to be the one generating the SUNSHINE today! Open to your light, follow your joy, share the peace! Happy Earth Day!

Wisdom Wednesday

This week’s Wisdom Wednesday post features a topic that was presented in Monday nights Dynamic U session. It’ll be a review for participants and hopefully a wonderful invitation to relax, for those of us who are “working hard to create dreams”!

WELCOME TO THE LOOSER’S CLUB!

There is a term called “efforting” that describes the work that we do when we try very hard to bring our wishes, hopes, desires and dreams into reality. Hard work, determination and will power certainly have their place in our society and world. Without these attributes, things wouldn’t get done and there are times we need things to be completed. I speak from experience on this one, as it has taken a tremendous amount of effort to go through an accumulation of clutter from the past 16 years of my existence!

However, the kind of effort that I speak of revolves more to what we are creating for ourselves and our families. All of us have goals, each of us is working to experience something, gain something, have something, try something, do something. I think that is why we come here in the first place, Earth is an excellent training ground!

In the past, hard work and effort has gotten me quite far. It helped raise my grades in high school, got me scholarships in college, helped me pay my bills through college and supported during a nine year teaching position. It has helped me keep a home, raise my children, make payments on a car and phone and helped me to become a Feng Shui Consultant, Licensed Spiritual Health Coach, and Accredited Journey Practitioner. That’s a lot! I am thankful beyond words!

What hard work and effort doesn’t do is allow us to relax, to open and to receive. I’ve spent the majority of my life “going after what I want”, stopping at nothing sometimes to get to the end of the goal. I’ve given up sleep, rest and relaxation, precious time with family and friends, and sometimes, peace of mind and body to complete whatever mission I’ve set out to accomplish. Yes, it has served me well and there IS another way.

I recently learned this or should I say, relearned this lesson? There was a time, in the not-so-distant past when things weren’t working in my life or in my career. Most of what I had worked really hard to create, what I had pushed, shoved, and driven hard for simply wasn’t coming through. No matter what I did physically, or the positive thoughts and affirmations I held mentally or the deep release work I did emotionally seemed to have immediate results. So I did what any normal over-achiever adult would do……….I gave up! I threw my hands into the air in complete surrender. Wiped my tears, picked myself off the ground and started looking for something new. I set out to go in an entirely new direction.

I’ve honored a deep call to explore my creative energies. I started taking violin lessons. I threw myself into my home and garden and canned everything in sight! I learned to knit. I gave myself permission to dream, to explore, to create. What I found at the core of my being is that I love to write. This is what I have always loved but hadn’t honored because most of the writing I had done felt like “work” and there was effort behind it. So I quit that too! I went away from any type of writing that felt like it was hard and started writing just what felt good. I started this blog simply because………….it felt good and I enjoyed it!

This spilled over in other areas of my life as well. I started giving myself permission to do nothing (boy that is still a hard one for me!) I researched topics that I felt connected, began to really dream, explore and imagine, all without the fear of “Is this going to help me earn an income?” or “How am I going to pay for this”! I began to trust my heart, to give it permission to lead me, no matter how silly, how strange or how ridiculous I appeared. I started having a lot of FUN! Somewhere along the way, I lost all inhibition to work and to build a “career”. I quit worrying about how I would earn an income, how I would make payments, how I would be successful. I quit worrying about what I looked like, what I sounded like and what I wanted others to think of me. I just quit…………I planted a big “backwards” L on my forehead and kept on moving, creating and exploring.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always equated “quitting” with being a looser. In the past, giving up was associated with weakness. Yet in all the hard work that I’ve done, I really didn’t get the results I was seeking. Hard work and driving forces can sometimes be detrimental; they can counterbalance our bodies own ability to heal, to experience and most importantly to receive…………Yes, hard work and determination do have their place in our world, yet we can over-focus in these areas creating an imbalance that robs us of completely feeling the joy that is already all around us. Pushing can also cause tightness and constriction with further limits our desire to completely open, feel, connect and unite with others. We aren’t meant to “go it alone” yet it can feel that way if we forget we are all part of each other’s path. As we open into our creative vibrations and explore what we truly love and are passionate about, new doorways begin to open! We find ourselves in this process and………….this is what inspires others to do the same.

I don’t expect everyone to get a thrill out of baby chicks and milk goats, but the joy and excitement I feel in this experience can ripple out into the world, and like a wave, help carry others along their path of joy! One of the many gifts of really LIVING is to experience the creative joy that is already here…….its a matter of choosing to open, align and then making that inner agreement to FULLY embrace it!

What is your passion? Have you been working really hard to bring your dreams into reality? I’d like to invite you to just stop for a moment and relax. Recognize all that you already have. It is healthy and beautiful to aspire to greater heights and experiences though what you have right NOW is perfect. Each step of the way toward our goal helps us to gather our energies and rest in an awareness that leads to wholeness and truth. We are in the process of collecting all the pieces of our life’s puzzle. Though the mind may be telling us “its time” and our bodies feel the urge to jump forward, we can consciously SLOW DOWN, and recognize the tendency to push forward…………then release it. This will also save time as rushing, forcing and forging ahead can create the need to go back, recreate and fix mistakes and misperceptions (again, sharing from experience!)

I am not an expert by any means. The urge to push and put fourth effort is still very strong within my being. I have to daily “let go” and open to what is here, even if it is not something that my ego, personality or mind is wanting to experience. This spring things already look and feel much different. I am enjoying my path EVERY DAY, not just on occasion anymore. I love what comes through and I am always delighted when those vibrations resonate, lift, enhance and inspire others. I share that it is not something I do, rather these are energies that I have opened to and have agreed to allow them flow through me. I trust in the process so completely that if I had to walk away from everything tomorrow, I could do it. I am daily learning the art of “letting go”. Possessions don’t define us, titles don’t do justice in defining who we REALLY are because WHO we really are is truly beyond the ability to put into worlds! I am honored to be here, to be walking this path and connecting with so many amazing, colorful, delightful beings.

So, let me be the first to welcome you into the “Looser’s Club”! It is a wonderful sorority to belong too! Here we loose our fears, our egos, our hang-ups, our doubts, our worries, our inhibitions, our need to know. And what we gain, is freedom, joy, peace, happiness, hope, beauty, faith, trust. I hope you’ll join us soon. We’re waiting for you. Our membership is wide open~

5 years ago this week............

Change. Its the nature of the world we live in. We change, our world changes, nothing stays the same. Every now and again, we can see how far we've come when we pause to take a moment and reflect. Five years ago this week, my world was about to change in significant ways. Right about now, I was transitioning out of a full time elementary teaching position into the work of my heart, being at home to raise and care for my children, home and land. I was also being strongly guided to follow my calling as a holistic health practitioner, and Conscious Living Consultant. I look back every now and then with wonder, awe and appreciation. I had no idea how the next five years would go, I only knew that "it was time" and I was more than ready to follow my heart.

I've never been disappointed once. April 23rd, our beautiful, energetic daugher made her entrance into this world. On a brilliant full moon night at 11:30 pm, an entirely new dream was birthed for me as well. This photo was taken just prior to a beautiful rain shower, a week after her arrival here. It hardly seems like its been five years since I walked through that portal. Every day is a miracle, every day is an adventure. Again, I have no idea where I'll be in another five years or what topics will pique my interest. I only know that I'll continue to follow the direction of the sun, opening further to absorb and reflect light, love, hope, joy, peace, beauty and laughter for all those I'm connected to and those I will meet along the way!

Thank you to everyone who is reading and following this blog! Your words of encouragment and messages of support fill me with incredible joy! It is my honor and priveledge to share my experince. Here's wishing you a day filled with the brilliance of sunshine, happy vibes and hope for amazing experinces to come!

Who's With Me?

Our Pot of Gold Is Already Here!

There’s a great shift happening right now. To me, it feels is a real sense of dedication and determination to be living a joy-filled life. Connecting with others of like mind and heart. helps us to this on a more visible level. Aside from the political and economic energies, many are feeling the urge to create and live authentic, happy lives. No matter where we are on our life path, no matter where we are in the world and no matter what work we are doing, each of us has the potential to invite, inspire and live positively. The intention and action of doing so creates viable, TRUE change in the world. We are here, at this time, for such a purpose. It doesn’t matter how much money we have, what we drive or the type of house we live in, what matters IS how we choose to live our lives and ENJOY them to the fullest every day, aside from the drama and external events that are happening within, around and through us.

To honor this wave of positive, intentional movement I'll be posting a weekly “Wisdom Wednesday”post to this blog. I’ll be sharing inspirational stories, thoughts and tips to hopefully awakend and inspire others. We are here to do this for each other! ALL of us have the potential to awaken to our true bliss and in doing so we create waves of change that ripple out into the world inviting others to continue the flow of peace, happiness, joy and vitality. Something as smile as a smile and a hello can instantly change and brighten someone’s day!

I invite you to tune in and share your inspirations in the comment section. Again, we ALL have wonderful wisdom to share. Your words and thoughts could change someone’s direction!

You can find and follow my blog at http://www.cre8tivecowgirl.blogspot.com/ , facebook and Twitter! It is my hope to inspire and ignite your passion for living a cre8tive, authentic joy-filled life!

So who’s with me? Are you ready to consciously cre8tive more of what you do want, living intentionally and on purpose? Let’s DO THIS…………TOGETHER!


Welcome to the first post of Wisdom Wednesday:

Today’s inspiration came through while I was in the shower. This is often when ideas pop into my head and there’s no paper, pen or computer in sight! I am taking a break today from my clutter clearing today to be in my office, write notes and prepare for an afternoon session. I realized that I am really good at doing, planning and being in constant motion though I don’t often take time to just be. Doing nothing is absolutley essential to our creativity and well being, espeically when we live such busy lives.

Our society “driven”. Our worth is often measured by the amount of work we get done and how much we are able to accomplish and the titles we are able to attain. What if we weren’t able to work? What if we weren’t able to accomplish much of anything? What would we be worth then?

What we DO is often tied into self esteem but who we really ARE is much more than the work that comes through us. Giving ourselves a chance to just be allows us time to gather our energies and contemplate all the changes that have come through in the last 24 hours, days, weeks and months. Who we are NOW is not who we were yesterday or even a month ago. Change is happening so rapildy that many of us may not even recognize ourselves or the life we've created!

Taking frequent time outs are essential in replenishing our energies and reshaping our prespectives. It is easy to get caught up in the drama of life and forget why we are REALLY here. I believe we are here to experince, to learn, to share, to give, to receive and to grow, continaully. There are unlimited ways that this growth happens and we are all blessed with wonderfully unique ways of experincing it. Rarely is is the exact same for everyone, yet the changes that occur within one person do ripple out and resonate with others. Our abundance doesn't just come in the form of a healthy bank account, it comes from opening and allowing ourselves to give and receive continuoulsy. This flow is what delivers our needs and wants as well as allowing us to be channels for others around us. The internet, blogging, and places like facebook, twitter give us opportunities to expand beyond our physical locations, reaching out into the world in to connect and remind others that true abudnace lies within the collective heart.

We are not independent islands in the vast ocean of human experince, we are all in this together. Yes, we do have unique ways of expressing our energies, creativities, missions, passions and goals, that is what makes for a flavorful existence; think how boring it would be if we were all alike!

So no matter where you find yourself to be as you read this post, I invite you to take a few moments to just be. Breath in, breathe out, feel the flow. Consciously say yes to abundance, to life, to joy, to creativty! Feel this deep within your soul, like a fresh spring, ready to flow out into the world. For this moment..................just BE. All you need, all you've been looking for is already here! YOU are the pot of gold that you've been searching for!

You've Come A Long Way.........Hair!

That's me in the middle, in short hair! This was taken at my brother and sister-in-law's wedding in May of 2006. People that I have met in the recent past don't realize that I once had really short hair. My family is amazed and astonished that I had the patience to grow it out and I tell them that I haven't done this alone! One of my best friends, Barb Barraclough, has gently guided and supported this process.

There are several reasons that I've choosen to grow my hair out, some silly, some serious, some reasons may only make sense to the brain this hair now covers! What strikes me and thus the reason for this post is how much we ALL change. I just wrote about change in the NAJPA newsletter this week. We have two choices in the midst of change; align with it and accept it or resist it. The later is what also invites pain, frustration and stress and frankly, who wants that?!

I am continually amazed at how others around me change, specifically my children. I am go grateful with the technology we have today as the camera, phone and computer so easily assist us in documenting the daily changes that are easy to miss. One peek at pictures and scrapbook reveal the changes that scan slip away, easily undetected right before our eyes. I wake up one morning to find our precious little "spice pumkin" is 4 years old, our big hazel eyed, dimple wearing boy is 8 and our little red-haired cowboy wears shoes the same size as his mama. (tears rolling now!)

With most of my focus on family, home and possible career paths, the last place I tend to focus is on me! Most mom's I know are in the same boat. I know that I change too. Mostly the changes I look at our inner ones though I must admit, I do cast a passing glance in the mirror............just checkin!

Then one day, I realize that I too have.............changed, on the insight and out. Nearly two years ago when I went through the Journey training, http://www.thejourneyusa.com/, I targeted some specific inner changes and transformations that I was ready for. Looking back I see that I am in a very different place now, physically, mentaly, emotionally, spiritually. Its been a long road and that old saying (eventhough it was for cigarettes?) You've Come A Long Way Baby, comes to mind.

I still don't like to wake up early, I despise cold weather and squash is still not one of my favorite veggies. I am a lot more bold than I used to be. I am willing to stand up for myself though I tend to avoid confrontations when I can. I recognize my triggers though I don't always cock the hammer!

Every now and then, when I am walking by a mirrior and I now see long, dark hair falling across my shoulders and it makes smile. This is the change the I've been waiting for. I think I am about to hit my stride...............

Inspiration From an 8 year old

 

Parker Ray

I've been working on reacclimating to my home space this week. The process has been slow as there are so many mini-projects that are begging, shouting and fighthing for my attention. I don't believe my office has ever been in this much disarray, nor my laundry/mudroom, nor the bathrooms, nor the..........I'll spare you the details you get the idea. It is at the end of the month so the Ki Consultations that I prepare for clients go out on Monday. Is it me, or has February flown by?

I am guided to share how my son impacted my life the other day. This is the seaon of lent and we observe this time at our house by refraining from some, if not most of the pleasures that food offers us, primarily sweets and deserts. I tend to avoid giving up those things for the 40 days of lent and focus on self improvement endeavors. We each announced our choice of what we would "give up." Ok, I have to be honest here, I am not into giving up ANYTHING! I loathe self-deprivation. Feeling total peer pressure from my clan I shared that I would avoid desserts, sweets, chocolate (all my beloved food groups!) I remembered a time when I was much more disciplied eating mostly whole, raw, natural unprocessed foods. The results were fabulous, I was much more slim, trim and energetic. How I got away from that is another post!

So feeling resentful and not at all wanting to participate, I appeared to join in, but secretly had no intention of doing so! The next day, inticing gummy peach rings were being snuck from the cupboard and then I got BUSTED! Parker caught me and reminded me that just the day before I had given these up. Dang.

The next day, we went to two different locations, each offering sweets to the kids. Parker respectfully declined both times. When pressured he accpeted the sucker, said thank you and when we were in the car, he gave it to his sister and told her to enjoy it. Wow.

He was feeling a little sorry for himself on the way home, though he didn't say anything. When we got home I took him aside and shared what I had observed. I told him how I was not really into "the lent thing" and that I really wasn't wanting to give anything up at all but when I saw his courage, his will power, I was inspired! He beamed. Big alligator tears formed in those gorgeous brown eyes and slowly trickled down his freckled cheeks. Thanks Mom, he said. I'm proud of you too! And then I returned the motion, and tears flooded me as well.

I shared that we can all learn a lot by looking at our habits and sometimes letting go of things we really think we need or like. I remember when I was about his age, I gave up bubble gum. I loved gum, way more than any kid should have! I wasn't required to do so, I did this to support my best friend who gave up gum, pop and candy. Interestingly, I completely lost the attachment to gum after that! I have chewed gum but its not something that I even think about.
I've done this with other habits too; I am now rethinking the ones that are up for change and transformation. Time management, picking up and putting away used items and keeping my space clear could make big difference in my efficiency and allow me to get to those projects that I feel are coming down the pipe! I have big plans for my future but I can see I am doing to need a bit more discipline to entertain those experiences.

After a year of being under the radar so to speak, I feel like I am now coming to life! I often work with people who have given up so much that they cannot remember what it is to indulge and really enjoy themselves and all life has to offer. Many are distracted by all the fear, worries and what ifs. I am finding that it isn't about giving anything up, it is about making choices that create more supportive, richer experiences AND being open and able to find the meaning in every day life situations. I'm glad I was paying attention and even more so, I am glad that I spoke to Parker and acknowledged his choices! I have to wonder what our world would be like if we spoke those words of encouragement and recognition a little more often? We don't have to go looking for miracles, they are around us all the time, it is simply a matter of stoping long enough to see who and what is appearing before us and then having the courage to tell them they are on the right track.

Thanks for reading and indulging me in this moment of intense recognition, gratitude and awareness! I'd love to how you've supported someone along the way or how someone has supported and inspired you.