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Whose ideas are they?

Do you ever find yourself preparing for a presentation and noticing that fear is bubbling up?  I have! It is especially strong when the presentation comes from ideas that came from my intuition, my life experience, me. Sometimes, I then hear:

What if “my” ideas flop?

Just in case you can relate, I’d like to offer a different perspective. The Universe has dropped golden nuggets into my awareness. Like the lyrics and music I write, I transcribe the ideas, the lyrics, the notes. I bring them into manifestation. They began in and belong to the greater whole, universal mind. This makes them perfect – and – temporary. They are here now to be released and have an impact. They are not meant to be free standing, or be “put on a pedestal” and admired. They are meant to be honored, used, and allowed to transform as they are touched and received by the world, the folks who will receive the presentation.

This way of being invites me to go through the experience with total curiosity and wonder. What is meant to be planted, sprout, blossom, or be released in each person? What is possible because I am willing to be the conduit through which the Universe got this message across?

I am sitting in awe of the wisdom that just flowed through me. Not from, but through me and intended for all of humanity.

What if each of us allowed ideas to flow through us into manifestation?
What ideas are you blocking?
What are you hanging onto as yours?
What idea would help you embrace your part in evolution?
What would free you?
 

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How old are you?

ballerina

More importantly:

How old do you think you are?

We’ve all heard the expression, “You’re as young as you feel.”  Yet, how many of us truly take it to heart? How many of us do not let our age dictate our life choices?

I am 57 years young as I write. And, I often spend time with younger persons – younger in years and younger at heart. This week, their energy reignited in me a desire to dance, to move my body freely, flexibly, joyfully, playfully! They went so far as to suggest I finally respond to my longtime desire to move like a ballerina and take ballet lessons with my friend’s 2 1/2 year old! Really? Yes! Let those beautiful, young spirits encourage more of your own spirit to play, to come alive.

Now, I could have resisted, claimed I was too old to begin ballet. I could have imagined embarrassment (as if 2 1/2 year olds would judge me!!!). But for a lovely moment, I set that aside, let my dream override any perceived limitations or judgments, and committed to contacting the dance studio!

The story is “To be continued …” since the studio only teaches children! I contacted the owner anyway. I wonder, will she consider teaching the “young at heart” alongside the young hearts?

Now, back to you:

How old do you think you are?
 How do you let your age limit you?

What would you begin if you didn’t?

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Don’t Blink, Don’t Label!

morningglow

This morning, the air is cool with a slight breeze, the sun is rising, the birds are singing, and the sky is magical. Actually, the entire scene is picturesque and phenomenal. It is the magical sky, however, that caught my attention.

Sitting on my front porch, I decided to write down every word that could be used to describe the vision I was witnessing: sky, clouds, white, grey, blue, feathers, tendrils, shimmering, sea, floating, gorgeous, artistic, swirling, expansive.

Then I looked away for a short time and when my eyes returned to the scene, it was totally different! Now words like changing, washing out, soft, cotton, bumpy seemed more appropriate.

Don’t blink – you’ll miss something! Add to that, don’t label, you’ll miss so much. Oh the days that I have looked up and saw only sky and clouds. As a child, I saw bunnies and dragons, pillows and castles in the sky! And I dared not blink because I might lose sight of my imaginary playmates.

Now? Too often I let the labels – sky and cloud – determine what I see. “Cloud” might mean rain. Rain means I cannot ride my scooter (i.e. “bad”).

What about you? What magic is life offering that you miss out on because:

  • you’ve simplified the view with labels?
  • you “blinked”, looked away, consumed with the current task?
  • you decided you knew it all already so you didn’t pause to look anew and be curious?

If you are too young to have heard the song Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell, or if you haven’t read the lyrics in a few decades, please get curious right now! The song came from my memory banks as I was observing the clouds this morning. What I found when I Google’d to find the lyrics, was such depth of awareness – WOW!

Both Sides Now – lyrics
Both Sides Now – video

What does this song open up in you today?

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Power In Perspective

Good morning! Yes, it’s morning. And it feels “good”. Yet it didn’t feel that way a short 30 minutes ago. In fact, with a day wide open with choices, few commitments and a lovely weather forecast, my being felt depression instead of joy, excitement, pleasure or curiosity. And I didn’t want to stay there. I wanted to find a way to be with the moments, activities and the day ahead of me that was closer to pure delight than the depression that was present.

What shifted? It was quite simple and I want to share it with you. First, I decided to remove the “depression” label. Okay, gone! Then, aware that there were feelings that reminded me of depression, and knowing that those feelings color my view of life and everything in it, I asked myself:

How would I feel about the day ahead if the depression glasses were off?

Immediately, I realized that:

  • I would be grateful that I get to be with a dear friend at 7:00am
  • I would be excited to dig in to the possible projects on the list.
  • I realized that the day would not be long enough for all the possibilities so I would be in delightful anticipation with the giggles and joy of a child.

Wow! With that one shift in perspective:

How would I feel about the day ahead if the depression glasses were off?

I found myself out of the box of depression, open to possibility, and excited to be alive!

How about you?

What activities are you anticipating with dread?
What feelings are walling you off from the joy of life?
What change in perspective would you like to entertain?

There is power in perspective. We can choose the perspective and claim personal power to create our life. Or, we can let circumstance choose the perspective and find ourselves disempowered in a box that is not of our choosing.

What perspective will you choose today?

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The Void

Last time, I wrote about THE LIST, that never ending wellspring of ideas of where to invest your energy, your time, talent, and financial resources. You may have such a list for your life, your business, your family and home.

You don’t have such a list? Are you in that place of feeling stuck, not knowing which way to turn because you believe you have exhausted your options? Maybe you don’t believe you are creative and are waiting for someone else to tell you what comes next? Or perhaps you have been on the treadmill and exhausted yourself, checking things off the list and now feel empty, drained, without ideas?

I’d like to share an idea about the creative process that can help. I suspect it has been written about many times before (because it works!) yet my most recent encounter was in The Intuitive Way by Penney Peirce. Simply, it is a cycle of creation that requires listening. We must listen to the energy inside and notice when it says:

“Yes! Do it!”

and when it says:

“This doesn’t feel right. What is really needed now?”
or “I’m tired. Take a break.”

Simply put, the cycle is this:

  • BE – return to the void and listen; allow space in your activity to hear intuition, that still small voice within, and to be inspired
  • DO – once inspired in the listening, we know the steps to take
  • HAVE – having taken the steps, we experience completion or “having”

Sometimes, the cycle looks like this:

BE – DO – HAVE – BE – DO – HAVE– BE – DO – HAVE 

Sometimes it looks like this:

BE – DO – HAVE – DO – HAVE – DO – HAVE – BE

Often, when we are too focused on completing the list, it looks like:

BE – DO – HAVE – DO – HAVE – DO – HAVE – DO – HAVE …

and we never return to BE.

Today, consider breaking the cycle. Set the list – or the non-list – aside. Perhaps just gift yourself with 15-60 minutes of solitude. Go for a walk. Sit alone under your favorite tree. Go for a swim and treasure the feeling of floating on your back soaking up the sun. Sit in the chair with your pet in your lap and quiet music in the background.

Whatever you choose, the gift is one of being in the void. Invite your mind to rest. Deepen your breath. Calm your inner agitation. Just be.

What do you notice here?
What feels easy to release from here?
What inspiration is present here?

Finally, before you leave this place, make a date with yourself to return. Then do it!