Zen Chick

Zen Chick

Slow down. Simplify. Love your life.

“There is more to life than increasing its speed. Slow down, breathe and enjoy. “

Write It Down

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“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” ~William Wordsworth

I have a confession to make, as a writer I find it difficult to journal. There I said it!

Now let me expand on this confession a little more, I can journal and I do journal (some) but I have a difficult time staying consistent with my journaling. I also have a tendency to edit my thoughts before putting them on paper which is never good. Hence my dilemma with journaling.

So if you were thinking this is one more blog post about the importance of journaling, it’s not. It is about learning to put thoughts and ideas on paper and why this type of writing is important in moving you forward in your life.

“The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.” ~Norbet Platt

This type of writing allows me to write out creative thoughts or to unclutter my mind when I feel I’m at an impasse on a decision. I also use it as a tool to flush out thoughts that circle my head like a vulture, the ones that pick at my brain and never seem to go away. For those, I simply write them down to get them out of my head space.

I like to write with pen and paper and I love notebooks so these are my favorite tools for writing, using different notebooks for specific writing projects. For some, writing on the computer allows more ease of flow and creating separate folders or documents are the same as separate notebooks. Paper or computer doesn’t matter what matters is which one will give you easy access when the writing urge strikes.

When I use this type of writing for jotting down creative ideas or thoughts for future blog posts, I create a written trail to follow later. I can go to that notebook, skim through the pages and pick out parts that work for the project or post I’m working on. For me it’s a “treasure hunt”, finding the beautiful gem of writing that fits perfectly. It also allows me to see where my creative process has been and how it has evolved.

The notebook ( yep, I do have a different one) that contains a jumble of thoughts or just brain uncluttering allows me to look back and see if I’ve resolved or moved past whatever the issue may have been. It’s a way to keep in touch with my inner wisdom and teaches me to listen more closely to that inner voice.

Some may call this journaling but to me it’s a little more unstructured but I will admit it accomplishes the same purpose. It opens and clears my mind allowing me to find my own path through my thoughts.

If you are not writing things down, (to-do-lists do not count here!) start unwinding your thoughts with a little notebook time:

  • Grab a notebook and just unload your brain on page 1. Once you start you will be surprised at what may appear.
  • Working on a project? Have a separate notebook for your creative thoughts so you can reread your work and pull ideas together. This is much better than keeping it in your head which is what I use to do.
  • Sit with these notebooks regularly, even if you only write one sentence. It’s all about getting it on paper or the computer.
  • Go back and reread often, marking out things that are no longer valid or you have already used in your creative work. If I have used all of the stuff on a page, then I tear it out. This lets me know that those ideas or thoughts are long gone.
  • Just try it and see if it works for you along your journey.

I would love to hear your thoughts on how you get your “writing on” and how it has helped you along your journey we call living. Share your comments in the comment section below and share the love of this post with someone you feel would love to start their own writing habit.

 

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Embracing The Small Victories In Your Everyday Life.

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We live in a world where instant gratification is the name of the game. Set a goal, make a big change, start a business and *POOF* it should happen! We follow the steps, put in the time and wait for the completion, getting frustrated when things go slowly or don’t appear to be happening at all.

You know what I mean, you get on the scales after a week or two of serious workouts and “WHAT?”, not one stinkin pound has found its way out the door. Or you decide to start a new business, doing your research on your market and putting in the extra work but things are moving at a snail’s pace.

Yep, I’ve been there and know the disappointment of not getting to your goal fast enough. But what if we started embracing the small victories in our everyday life along the way to our final goals? This was the question I was pondering and the answer came to me on my morning walk.

I had started adding a little jogging (read: little) to my daily fast paced walk when I realized as I slowly jogged up the hill that I wasn’t as winded as I had been before. Then that night in my yoga class as I sat in half lotus pose I noticed that my right hip wasn’t as tight as it had been. Huh? (picture here a V-8 moment, hand hits forehead)

This is when I understood that so often we get caught up in reaching the end, the goal, the big thing we were hoping to achieve, that we lose sight of our small victories that appear in our everyday lives.

When I take the time to truly acknowledge these small victories that happen each and every day it reinforces my desire to see the project through and stay on course. But more than that it makes my inner critic shut up a lot quicker and move along a lot faster, leaving me to bask in my progress toward my goal!

These small everyday victories are the stuff that life itself is made of and what keeps us reaching for the moon and stars.

Starting today, let’s all start looking for and celebrating the small everyday victories in our lives.

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Every day start noticing:

  • The step(s) that you achieved during the day that moved you closer to your goal, even if it’s just a thought process.
  • Pat yourself on the back more for these small victories instead of waiting for the final product to celebrate.
  • Re-evaluate your final goal every day to make sure that it is the truth for you. You may find that each day you start tweaking what your final goal really is and adjusting it accordingly.
  • Enjoy the journey!

Be gentle with yourself, trusting your process instead of trying to fit yours into someone else’s.

I hope that you will start embracing the small victories in your life and we would all love to cheer you on. Share those small victories in the comment section below and share this post with someone in your life that may need a reminder to start celebrating their small everyday victories.

 

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Life Lessons From A Little Donkey Name Willow

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“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude,

then animals are better off than a lot of humans“~ James Herriot

The trailer pulled out to the barn and the precious cargo was unloaded, a 7 month old donkey that I had named Willow. When I had put the word out to my friend Jane that I wanted a donkey, it became her mission to make it happen. I’m also lucky enough have another friend, Lois, who has the ability to make horses appear on my farm like magic 🙂

Willow is the first donkey I have ever owned so I set out to read everything I could to make sure that she and I started out on the right foot/hoof. Little did I know that Willow would soon become the teacher and I the student as she settled in on our farm.

Willow’s first introduction was to Henry, our dog, to make sure she understood that he was a part of our family. One of the reasons of owning  a donkey is to keep away coyotes so donkeys dislike dogs that are not part of their family. Little did I know that this first encounter would begin Henry’s love affair with Willow.

I had no idea that Henry would display such love and affection to Willow by licking her on the nose and laying on his back in front of her to show his submissiveness. Then it was play time, Henry started running around Willow and she joined in the play chase. Every day since their first meeting, Henry goes out into the pasture to greet Willow and have playtime with his new friend.

Life Lesson #1: You never know who could end up being an important person in your life so keep an open mind. 

When you are adding a new member to any herd/pack/flock, there are always lots of adjustments until everyone decides who fits where and who will teach the newcomer the rules. My two horses, Gabby and Joleen, would become Willow’s new herd mates so the introductions started slowly, first over the fence so everyone could touch noses and smell each other. After a day of that it was time to put the “herd” together and this is when Willow really became the teacher, reminding me of some very important things that are easily overlooked in our lives.

Gabby, the leader of the group was the hardest nut to crack but Joleen’s mothering instincts had kicked in so she was much more receptive and tolerant of Willow. Willow knew that time was on her side where Gabby was concerned so she was never pushy and gave Gabby his space.

Life Lesson #2: Patience really is a virtue.

Every time Gabby would pin his ears and try to keep Willow away from food or water, Willow would wait and slowly move in as Gabby was leaving or sneak around to the other side.

Life Lesson #3: Sometimes you have to find other ways to get to your goal so don’t give up.

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Despite the ups and downs of settling in, Willow is always happy to see me at the gate, wants to be close to me and the other horses (and of course Henry), runs, plays and doesn’t worry about laying down around Gabby and Joleen. She takes everything in stride.

Life Lesson #4: Sometimes you just have to trust that everything is going to be okay.

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Donkeys have a reputation of being stubborn and sometimes they really do earn it. But most of the time when they appear to be unwilling to do something they are simply analyzing the situation deciding if it is in their best interest.

Life Lesson #5: When you feel passionate about something in your life dig in your heels and stay strong. 

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Willow in her short time with us on Big Sky Farm has been an inspiration and wise teacher at her young age. Her patience and go with the flow attitude helps me remember what is truly important in my day to day life.

We all need that little reminder to awaken the inner wisdom we all possess and we never know who will spark that awakening. For me, Willow has been my spark and I know that she will continue to remind me of the important lessons in my life.

Look around you and see who may be teaching you some life lessons today. I would love to hear about any animal teachers in your life and what you have learned from them. Share your stories in the comment section below.

Share the love of this post with someone in your life who might need their inner wisdom awakened and let a little donkey name Willow ignite that spark for them.

 

 

“The Joy In Your Heart Will Set You Free.”

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“You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”
~Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon

“The joy in your heart will set you free,” is what was whispered into my ear on my morning walk the other day.

The word free is one of my core desire feelings for 2014 so I’ve been thinking a lot about how to achieve it in my daily life. One of the things I have really been working on is not holding onto conflicts with other people. You know the type of things that are resolved but you keep going over the details in your head to the point of insanity!

So when that little whisper of a mantra dropped into my head, it clicked….the aha moment! I was on the right track of letting go and clearing out some useless clutter in my head so the joy in my heart was the key. Easy enough I thought but little did I know that this was just the beginning.

Here’s what started happening after my aha moment. During those morning walks I was now faced with a continuous stream of negative conversations. Conversations with the people that I felt I had unfinished business with, allowing me to say what I felt needed to be said.

Puzzling, right?

Trust me I was completely baffled because if joy was to live in my heart so I could feel that wonderful freedom then why was I having all of this negativity in my head now?

Just as before, my wise guardian spirit whispered in my ear and gifted me with this gem; for me to make room in my heart for joy I had to move out the negativity. So these conversations were my heart’s way of clearing space, telling me to say what I felt needed to be said so it could then fill that space with joy.

“Joy blooms where minds and hearts are open.”
~Jonathan Lockwood Huie

The side benefit to all of this was the more conversations I had the freer I felt too. So I stopped beating myself up for what I thought was bad and accepted it as a very good thing.

When you stop and think about it, how many things like this do we squash or deny because it seems illogical or bad karma? Sometimes you just have to open your heart and listen closely letting it tell you what it wants and needs.

I know that most of us have conversations in our heads about different things but did you ever stop and think that the reason behind it was to free up some space in your heart and soul for good stuff? Personally I had never allowed myself that thought or possibility until it was delivered to me by divine guidance.

Then I decided to take things one step further, wondering about the rants of my inner critic, if these too could be space clearing events? So I’m taking this on as an experiment, seeing if letting these rants flow without the accompanying guilt will also lead to an opening up of more space for joy.

Who knew that negativity could lead to the path of joy and freedom? This was truly an eye opener for me.

We are all experiments in this journey we call living and I hope that you too can take away something from one of my gems and try it out in your life.

I love your insights so I hope you will share them in the comment section below. Share this post with someone you know who might be looking for a little more joy in their life!

 

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Want To Suck The Life Out Of Your Life? Keep Saying This…..

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“When you make a choice, you change the future.” ~ Deepak Chopra

The words that will suck the life out of your life are some of the few words that will both anger and sadden me when I hear someone or even myself saying them. (which I try not to do!)

“I guess I have no choice.”

I was having an email conversation the other day when the other person felt like they were not getting what they wanted so the response was “Well I guess I have no choice.” Picture Eeyore here, head and ears drooped, telling Pooh that life is so depressing and there’s nothing he can do about it. Now in true Pooh wisdom, which is what I channeled, I said “You do have a choice” and I went about listing options, adding honey to my email voice.

Two different views, Eeyore (btw, I love Eeyore) playing the victim, handing over his power to Pooh and Pooh giving Eeyore his power back and adding honey. That’s making a choice.

Choosing not to make a choice is still a choice, it’s a choice that says, “I don’t care how my life goes so you decide” or it says, “I’m trying to get my way or make you bend to my rules so I’m pretending to hand you my power.” (read:choice)

“I discovered I always have choices and sometimes it’s only a choice of attitude.”~Judith M. Knowlton

Good, bad or indifferent, choices define our lives and when you don’t make them you miss out on living your life fully. Even bad choices are lessons we need to learn and when we turn away from them we never lean into the whole of that lesson.

But what about the big choices? The change your job, start a business, move to a new place, sell everything and travel kind of choices, what stops us from making those?

There’s lots of excuses, bills to pay, family to take care of, too close to retirement or any other reasons that society will pat you on the back and tell you “it’s okay.” Now you are off the hook, choice made for you and lots of people will agree with that choice because they have made it too.  (read:safety in numbers)

I believe that most of the time we see the big choices as an all or nothing option so we try to quickly hand them off. But at some point in your life will you look back and say “what if I had made a different choice?”

Here’s a different approach, what if you took those big choices, the ones that really tug at your heart and speak to you constantly and turned them into bite size choices. Smaller choices that get you to the bigger one in small steps. Wouldn’t that make the choice easier?

Any choice is a big deal for you and your life, even the ones that feel very benign.

You never know where a simple choice might lead you someday so step into your power, not away from it and choose your life, your attitude and how you want to feel. And when you feel the words “I guess I don’t have a choice” coming into your head, stop, breathe and choose. Making a choice will keep the life in your life!

Tell me how you feel about making choices and what choices you have made that really changed your life.

Share the love of this post with someone in your life that might need more choices in theirs. 

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Be a Rule Breaker and See This Year Differently.

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“Following all the rules leaves a completed checklist.

Following your heart achieves a completed you.” 
~ Ray Davis

Ready to change the way you think and live? Ready to trust your heart, soul and intuition to lead you on your journey this year?

Then let’s break some rules that have been holding you back and stifling your desire. ~nothing illegal, I promise 🙂

Ask anyone that knows me, I’m the person that will research a new project or idea until the cows come home. After a full year (2013) of doing that I realized the other day that I was really sick of listening to one more person telling me how to do “things right.”

Now I’m not saying that any of the advice was wrong, it wasn’t, in fact it was very helpful. Teachers and mentors can help you bring your own hidden wisdom to the surface and point it in the right direction. What was really wrong was the fact that I was caught in a vicious loop of never ending information. Knowing that helped me realize that I had to break out and break some rules.

“Sometimes we have to step out of our comfort zones. We have to break the rules. And we have to discover the sensuality of fear. We need to face it, challenge it, dance with it.” ~Kyra Davis

I had tamped down my ability to see my own way and to trust my gut. Knowing that I had created things before and I had the capability to do it again, it was time to take the road less traveled and define my own path.

Let me stop here and acknowledge all of my teachers and mentors (deep bow, hands to heart) who still give me insight and wisdom. No I won’t kick them to the curb, I just add my own intuition to all of their insights.

One of the things I learned this past year, that I will use as a mantra for this year is “Start before you are ready.” This is the perfect rule breaking mantra because it allows you the ability of not waiting until everything is perfect, the planets and stars are in alignment and Mercury is NOT in retrograde.

Taking what you have learned, what you know and adding your own twist so that the final product, the journey or whatever you are working on is true for you.

We all have a personal spin that is put on everything we do, whether it’s how you dress, talk, write, paint, teach or whatever and even though you may be doing the same thing everyone else is doing, your personality shines through and makes it uniquely you.

Which gets us back to rule breaking, trusting that you know what is best for you and your journey. Taking in all of the wisdom and information you need to make good decisions for yourself but in the end moving to the beat of your own unique drum.

In all of our hearts and souls, we are rebels on some level and trusting that rebel side will allow it to come out and help you make those bold decisions. But what if it takes you down a wrong path?

Even if you end up on a dead end street of bad ideas, you will still learn something worth the journey. The next time you will know what not to do and how you need to change things.

Isn’t that what a life well lived is all about?

I hope you will join me in making your 2014 the year of breaking rules and breaking out of your norm! I would love to hear your comments on what rules you plan on breaking this year.

Share the love of this post with a friend who also needs to break some rules in their life and together you can support each other on an incredible journey.

 

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Loving the Imperfect You!

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“We are all wonderful, beautiful wrecks. That’s what connects us–that we’re all broken, all beautifully imperfect.”
~ Emilio Estevez

A new year for me always means a clean slate, a fresh start on how I want my life to go. As I was plotting the new direction of my journey for this next year, I realized that one of the first things I needed to do was to work on truly acknowledging and accepting my shadow side.

For those of you that don’t know what I mean by ” shadow side”, let me explain.

We all have a side of ourselves that can be dark, where we harbor negative thoughts, wishes and even desires. Our shadow self is not something we want to talk openly about and more often we deny.

You can’t accept what you don’t acknowledge so I’m here to share my discoveries from the other day when my shadow side was running full tilt and very uncensored:

  • inside the ugly hateful thoughts that were filled with strong words, there was a light of clarity
  • that clarity lead me back to the true root of my feelings which was fear first, then anger
  • the anger and fear revealed other dark feelings that truly made me understand,
  • to deny any part of my shadow self would be accepting only part of my whole being.

Loving and accepting this part of yourself is the bridge to moving forward into your life fully so that you can do and be all that you want to be. We all have a shadow side and the more acknowledgement you give to that side of yourself the more freedom you will have.

“Accept your dark side, understanding it will help you to move with the light. Knowing both sides of our souls, helps us all to move forward in life and to understand that perfection doesn’t exist.” ~ Martin R. Lemieux

Once you accept that you are not always going to be “cupcakes and sunshine”, what’s your next step in acceptance?

Keeping an open mind so that you can view your shadow self through a non-filtered lens, looking for the message within the darkness or simply learning to let those dark moments pass by without judgement.

The moment you hear the words, “Oh I shouldn’t feel like that or how could I think that” is your cue to tune in and see where your shadow side wants to take you. Will it lead you to clarity like mine did or do you just let it rage and move along? Either way you become more schooled in what your shadow side wants and in time acceptance will become easier.

Just like anything else in life, this is “life work” which means you have to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. If you want to grow your life then you can’t scratch the surface of the ground and expect to grow a wonderfully lush garden. You have to dig deep, plant well and enjoy reaping your harvest once you have succeeded.

That my friends is how you create a life you truly love and what better time to start than at the beginning of a new year.

Will you accept my challenge and join me?

I would love to hear your comments in the comment section below. And share the love of this post with someone in your life and have them sign up so they can receive even more love.

* 2014 for me personally and here at Zen Chick is going to be all about “breaking the rules.” Breaking out of  what I’m suppose to do and blazing some new trails. If you would like to be a trailblazer, jump on over to my Work With Me page and see how I can help. Let’s make 2014 a year to remember. Peace and love to you all!

 

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What’s Your Hurry?

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“Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.”~ Peg Bracken

Do you feel it?

There is a steady hum of energy as the anticipation of the holidays moves into high gear. As that energy current moves along we can get caught up in the wave, swept away helplessly in the frenzy and frustration. The pulse and hum of that energy sounds like a drum beat drumming out, bu bu…buy, buy, buy more as the flashing Christmas lights blind you causing you to wander aimlessly in and out of stores. You become disoriented, confused and oh so burned out……

But wait does it have to be this way?

Only if you really want it to be. 

The holidays can come in with a wave of frenzied energy bringing with it all of the stress, financial burden and family issues. And yes you can get caught up in it but let me repeat, “only if you want it to be that way.”  You have a choice!

Last year I wrote a post  about our family’s newest tradition of no presents and that tradition lives on this year too. What we have found in the 3 years of honoring this tradition is a very relaxed holiday season and happier wallets. We have more time to spend together, time to talk and catch up, enjoy great food and not feel rushed or stressed. We have even made our Christmas menu simplier and gave the feast award to Thanksgiving where it belongs.

It’s easy to fall into the hype and stress because the pressure is all around you…but for what? Will you really be happier spending more money, more time and more of your precious energy doing what everyone else is doing? Or would you like to break out of that “pack mentality” and start your own tradition?

Doing something different during the holidays doesn’t have to be as radical as what my family does but there are other ways to dial it down a notch and keep your stress level on an even keel.

Here’s how:

  • Buying gift cards for everyone on your Christmas list. Easy peasy shopping for you and they get the gift they “really” wanted.
  • Dial down that big ole Christmas feast to a few items, have it catered, or turn it into a big ole potluck.
  • Set dollar limits on gifts or stick to the one gift only rule. That way no one feels like they have to top someone else’s gift.
  • Donations to each person’s favorite charity that is on your list makes a great gift for that person and to the charity you are helping. It’s a win-win for everyone!
  • Only decorate what YOU feel like doing. No one will mind if you don’t win the neighborhood holiday theme prize this year for the best yard decorations, it’s all about what you have the time and energy to put into it. If you want to win that prize then go for it!
  • Pack up the family and give them a Christmas to remember, a vacation. What better way to create less stress then to leave it all behind.
  • Host a drop in event for Christmas Day. Everyone can come and go as they like, less stress, less cooking and no one feels like they have to be on a schedule.

These are just a few suggestions for making your holidays a little more simple, a little more relaxing and a lot more enjoyable. Holidays don’t have to be a marathon event unless you want them to be so kick back, put your feet up and have your favorite beverage. It really is that easy.

I would love to hear your thoughts (down in the comments) on how you make your holidays less stressful. Let’s all work hard at NOT working hard during the holidays and enjoying the time and love with friends and family.

Share the love of this post with someone you may know that needs to have a little less stress in their lives for Christmas.

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Stop Running Toward Your Life and Start Living It.

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“Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.”
~ Walt Whitman

“What day is it?”

“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.

“My favorite day,” said Pooh.”

Can you say today is your favorite day too?

The simple wisdom of Pooh, always showing us the way to appreciate our lives in the moment regardless of our circumstances. So why do we spend so much of our time running toward the life we want to live instead of living the life we have right now?

To help you decode the mystery, let’s start with a fill in the blank.

I will start living my life once I have or once I complete___________.

The answer is the reason you are putting off your life, your dream or even your happiness. You chase that answer relentlessly hoping that once you catch it you will start living your life or the life you think you want to live. But what if you discovered that all of that running and pursuing only gave you what you already had?

Now fill in this blank, I want to be ______________ in my life. (thanks Danielle LaPorte)

The second answer deals more with how do you want to feel in your life. (happy, loved, content, peaceful, grounded, free, confident,etc.)

Both of these answers are completely different because the first one is a physical thing, like quitting a dead end job, finishing a course that leads to a better life, having more time, a better job, a business, more money, etc. The second one is the feeling that you hope to create from the first answer.

What if you already have the second answer (the feeling) in your life right now without pursuing the first answer (the dream, goal, job, etc.)?

Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying you should stop shooting for the stars, going for your dreams or quitting that life sucking job. No what I’m saying is savor that feeling that you want in your life and keep savoring it WHILE you are moving toward your greatness.

Truly appreciating your life for what it is……LIFE. There is no perfection in any of our lives, just day to day living with all of it’s ups, downs and warts. (okay not warts but you get the picture)

Instead of running toward your life, stop right now and savor the feelings you want in your life.  

Shifting your thinking from “what you need next in your life” to “how do you want to feel in your life” moves you more into the present moment of living your life instead of chasing it. Focusing on how you want to feel on a soul level can change what you are running toward so that you start enjoying the journey instead of the destination.

I shared this shift in thinking with my Mastermind group at our monthly meeting (these girls are my greatest guinea pigs and cheerleaders…thanks girls!) writing down 3 feelings that we want more of in our lives for 2014. Each of us are moving toward a dream or goal in our lives but when we shifted our thoughts to the 3 feelings it added a wonderful dimension to each of our journeys.

What about you, ready to start feeling the way you want to feel in your life without the marathon to get there? Ready to uncover the feelings that speak to your soul so you can start living them every day? I would love for you to share in the comment section the 3 feelings you want in YOUR life and to help get you started here are mine:

Free, Soulful, Peace

* If you would like to dive deeper into finding how to map out your core desire feelings, check out The Desire Map by Danielle LaPorte. 

 

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Is “Good” Enough? (part 2)

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“Good is the enemy of great.” ~Jim Collins

There seemed to be a “missing piece” to my personal story in the original post called Is “Good” Enough?  My oldest daughter who is my blog critic and supporter, pointed out that I skipped the most important part of my story, how I figured out that I wanted to leave good behind and move to GREAT.

“Huh?” I said, “Do you really think the details are that important?”

“Absolutely” she said, “Even I don’t know that part of your story and it’s important to hear what led someone to the decision to change the direction of their life.

”So here we are at Part 2, finishing my story of what made me walk away from good to get to great……

I was loading the dishwasher one morning, exhausted and stressed out, thinking that I was headed for the heart attack or the big C because of that stress, knowing that I wanted so much more from my life. I wanted something to be passionate about, something that would speak to my soul and if I was going to work this hard then it was going to be for me, not a corporation.

I wanted to help people and bodywork came to mind in the form of chiropractic. I knew this would be a long road, probably 6 years to complete but I wanted it and was willing to make it happen. I knew that I had to continue working my full time job but with the support of my husband and kids, I knew I could do this.

I was off to the races pursuing my new venture with passion, going to school at night and working during the day. Even though it sounds even more exhausting and stressful, I found that when I hit the classroom at night after a long day, I was rejuvenated and eager to get going again.

I finished one semester and started into my second when *BAM* the Universe decided to throw down a roadblock in the form of a promotion. Now some people would think, “Okay so I’m not meant to do this and now I have an even better job with more money. It’s just not meant to be.”

Not me, I was pissed and I mean pissed in a big way. I’m shaking my fist at the Universe saying “How dare you take this away from me, this is what I want to do and I know that I can make a difference.” The Universe, of course, didn’t say a word which made me even madder.

About a month into my mad spell I was still questioning “the why” with no answers when a good friend of mine introduced me to one of her friends who was a massage therapist and had started a massage school. She started asking me if I had thought about becoming a therapist. “No” I said, “I was starting chiropractic school but had to stop due to my promotion.”

“Think about it” she said.

I did, opening up my mind to new possibilities and when the light bulb finally came on in my pissed off head, I realized that I had just been blessed with a little Divine intervention. The Universe had spoken to me through that roadblock allowing me to find my great instead of settling for good. 21 years later I’ve never regretted leaving behind good because great has lead me to a much more satisfying and happy life.

And that’s “the rest of the story” (love Paul Harvey) and I hope that a little insight into my life helps you understand how great may show up in yours.  Great, in my opinion, can be small steps or giant leaps but it all starts with the one thing that speaks true to your heart and soul.

I would love to hear your comments and your story of moving from good to great, so jump on down to the comment section below and share the love with all of us. Also share the love of this post with someone in your life who would like to move from good to great.

 

* If you need help finding that good to great pathway or a different path in another area of your life, check out the Work with Me page. The Living Room Sessions are the newest addition to the page. Working with you and a group of your girlfriends (or guy friends) in your living room or mine, really digging down to get all of you on the path to truly loving and really living your lives. Connect with me and let’s get started. 

 

 

photo credit: xcode via photopin cc