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Another perspective on Autumn

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Recently a friend shared that Autumn in the Midwest where the trees are radiant with color saddens her. Why? She is a gardener and, for her, Autumn is a time of death to all her creativity.

I can see that.

Yet, today, as I look outside and see the trees once again barren and the foliage in my perennial garden limp and brown, I am choosing to really get the lesson that nature is giving us:

Rest and turn within
Release the outer expression and nurture the inner strength
Trust and know that we will *bloom* again

Today I invite you to pause and wonder:

What outer expression needs to stop for awhile?
What would nurture your inner being?

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Inspiration from …

… me! All right, this one is a bit off the beaten path but I am called to share. These last two days, I have been directed to open the book I wrote last year, What’s Alive In Me Now? Time for the journey of your life! 

WhatIsAliveInMeNowFrontCover

I have read several chapters and found myself inspired and grounded and recommitted to what I am called to do in this lifetime.

Why am telling you this?

Because we all need inspiration and it can come from many places –sometimes, from deep within. Whether you, like me, are a writer, or one who journals or draws, you have likely created from deep inspiration at times. The Universe was working through you to add richness to our world. Just maybe, you are meant to return to these creations now and receive their message again – at a new and expanded level for yourself.

Today, consider letting yourself be inspired. Don’t be shy! Check into your own creations! And, if you haven’t already, check into mine. You’ll find the book that I penned at this link:

What’s Alive In Me Now? Time for the journey of your life! 

along with some sample chapters.

To inspired living – now!

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What can YOU change?

CutToTheCore

Bring to mind a situation, relationship, belief that both challenges you and that you are ready to experience shift around.  

Got it?  Now:

 

  • What part of this is about you?
  • What part of this is about others?
  • What part is about the environment?
  • What can you change?
  • What else?
  • What steps will you take?
  • By when?
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When the emotional body speaks …

You know what I mean:

  • all is well and then a driver cuts you off in traffic and you are overcome with anger
  • you go to sleep peacefully and wake up “on the wrong side of the bed” and emotions are threatening to ruin your day
  • your best friend said something and you imagine the worst to the point of deep sadness or sorrow over the loss of the friendship

What you may not realize is that you always have choice in situations like these. The message from your emotional body is just that: a message. The actions you take could come from a very intentional place of choice.

Consider this simple practice the next time your emotions flare:

  • Stop. This might mean that you pull the car over or sit in a chair and invite your runaway thoughts and emotional energy to settle.
  • Breathe. Take five deep breaths. With each one imagine breathing in peace and breathing out the anger or sadness or fear or projecting the worst.
  • Rest. Let yourself simply be in the place of calm you have created.
  • Choose. From this less emotionally charged spaced, discern how you will proceed.

What is the impact of emotional reactivity?
What is the power in responding from calm?

What will you choose?

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Do you live in the extremes?

Extremes

You know them:

  • Perfection OR Useless (the handmade, beautiful, thoughtful gift or forget it!)
  • All OR Nothing (I am peaceful, prayed up, loving, patient, kind, compassionate all the time or I am a horrible person)
  • Live into your ideal vision OR Quit before you start (only exercise 1 hr/day, 6 days/wk counts)

Today, I’d like to speak to those of you who can see and taste and are filled with desire for the extremes on the left (the ideal, amazing, perfect, do it all and have it all experience) yet routinely berate yourself for not living them. If this is you, try this experiment. On a topic of your choosing, one of those areas filled with the self-judgement of not living your ideal:

  1. Write down the qualities and attributes that exist in the ideal. Who are you being? What do you experience? What is this ideal?
  2. Write down what you can imagine is present on the right side of the equation, when Useless or Nothing or Quitting is really present.
  3. Write down where you really are on the continuum between all and nothing.

I am willing to bet that you are on the continuum, not at either extreme, and that your actions to-date are having a positive impact on your life.

What if you celebrated where you are?
What if you saw yourself as living into the ideal?
What if you took one step closer to the ideal today?

What can you imagine now?