Thursday 28 November 2013

Good people

Sometimes our days don't go exactly as planned. We slip on the ice, get a flat tire, or lose our keys. It is in these situations where the angels begin to expose their wings and come to our rescue. This act of service by another can warm our heart like a tropical day on the beach. While it feels amazing to be the recipient of these kind acts, we can glow more expansively if we are the bearer of these gifts. Today's note of inspiration may not happen the moment you close this book and step outside but place this post in your memory for that day you see a car pulled over with four-way flashers on, see a Mother struggling with all her bags, or notice a neighbour's sidewalk that needs a good shovel. Go and be angelic. You'll feel renewed purpose and self-love.

Tuesday 26 November 2013

The final step

In our various journeys, it is the final home stretch that can be most exhausting and require the most mental strength. One more push, one last try, you're almost there. You can hear the roar of the crowd but the finish line seems too far to reach. It took me two years to publish my Masters Thesis and I wanted to give up so many times. Especially at the end. I wanted to hit delete and erase all the blood and sweat. But a mentor reminded me what was standing in my way. Fear. Fear that people may read my book and scoff at it. "You call that writing!" I felt so naked and exposed and I wanted to cover back up and continue walking on clothed and safe from judgement. Sometimes you must toss off the covers and roll out of your procrastinating mind awake to face the light, as blinding as it may seem. You have reached the peak, take the final steps, and view the vistas before you. You've made it, kid.

Monday 25 November 2013

Night moves

The night pulls. Its outstretched arm drags me into a new mood, a quiet reflection. Darkness opens its depths and envelopes like a mummy bag in my thin tent of protection. Arrival in this place feels finite as though morning may never come. The day's end a final song before the final credits make their way across the black screen. Tonight is now. My hands find the covers and pull them back to reveal a restful night full of deep dreams. Checklist. Teeth. Clothes for tomorrow. Medication. Check. The minutes seem softer, quieter, as though they are whispering the presence of time. Sliding into the warm cocoon. I will stay here. I will rest. Heavy eyelids wave good-bye to the day. Night begins to move and I follow.

Sunday 24 November 2013

Too good

Opportunities come into our life and make us question how we have been living. Is there a better way? We may feel like the universe has come together to make all of our dreams come true. All we need to do is apply our skills to a new venture and start our own enterprise that will ensure we never have to go to another day of work again. Sounds too good to be true? Maybe not, but check it against your values. My values are trying to inspire others to protect Mother Nature. Anything like environmentally friendly cleaning products or new tools to conserve water make me so excited and I love promoting those practices to whoever will listen. Starting my own business that's not environmentally focused would go against my values. Sure, when I am a millionaire I can donate to planet friendly causes, but the drive to get up and go everyday would be replaced with how can I best market myself today? I am not comfortable. And with that, I choose to pass this opportunity by. What would you do? How can you achieve your dreams in this lifetime? I feel like I have already arrived. And that is an amazing feeling. Shouldn't I be selling "my life: to others? No, because what drives me may not drive you. Be careful out there. Your time is precious.

Friday 22 November 2013

Self protection

Who is looking out for your best interest? Maybe a friend or two if you are very lucky, but this is important work that should be done internally. Boundaries. How to form them in such a way that you let people in but protect yourself from harm is a precious dance. You matter so much in this world and if you are not careful with your heart it could get damaged and no one wants to see someone else get hurt, especially if it means harming ourselves. If people ask you presonal questions that you don't feel comfortable sharing about, that's probably best to keep those feelings inside. Maybe ask these inquiring souls a question about themselves. If they close up you will know you were right to not divulge. Our close support network can usually be trusted with our most intimate thoughts but how far do we extend our net of trust. Not everyone cares for us the way we would like them to unfortunately, but we can listen to our heart and choose who we open up to in order to avoid disappointment. Put on your sheild and declare that no one will cause you harm because you decide who will connect closely with your heart.

Thursday 21 November 2013

Be the bear

When winter's chill enters our skin like wet clothing after a long run it can break us down. To build ourselves up again, we sometimes have to hunker down and hibernate. Get the fire going, brew some tea and cuddle up with a loved one, human or pet. Call all your appointments and cancel them. Set aside a full day to simply rest and relax. The weather may try to beat you but you fight back and grab this time for comfort and warmth. Let other people drive around on icy roads and shovel snow and run errands in the frost. You are more important. Choose to rest and recover. You'll need to get back at the rat race again soon, but not now. Now is time for cuddling and what could be better?

Sunday 10 November 2013

Drive-by connection

We all need intimate interaction. We need a place where we can let down our guard and share from the heart. We can do this best when it is unplanned and spontaneous. But how to make this happen? Choose a friend or two who doesn't mind if you come over last minute and drop in for supper or tea. I call this a drive-by and it works best when my emotions are getting the best of me and I just need to escape for a little while and be in the presence of love and acceptance. According to my friends, these interactions help them to connect with me more deeply and let our friendship blossom into a feeling of family rather than simply acquaintances. The drive-by isn't an action that happens all the time of course, it is a gift to be used when the time is right. Who are your go-to people in your life? Have you ever tried the drive-by?

Saturday 9 November 2013

Be you, everyone else is taken.

Although we try to argue against it, many of us simply want to be accepted. We want to know that we are loved and appreciated even though we may not be perfect. When this feeling takes over we can sometimes try too hard to prove our amazing abilities and gifts. This forced effort is not always received in the best way. People may think this is evidence of insecurity, or the attempt to overcome your many faults. Perhaps the root of this action comes from a place of fear, of the unknown void where we might be judged. In this energy space we cannot take our time and wait for acceptance over weeks or months, we forget about our need to have faith. In school, the teacher doesn't give us all the lessons in one class, we learn a new topic each day or week. Overwhelming someone is not the best way to gain their love, but if we breathe and hold back some of our accomplishments, we can walk forward on an organic path of honesty and humbleness. You are amazing exactly as you are, let people learn that over time.

Friday 8 November 2013

Boys and girls

It can be a struggle for men and women to honour a mutual friendship between them that does not delve into a physical connection on one end or the other. Our sexes are so different yet we compliment each other so well. We have the best friendships when we can be completely honest and comfortable with our precious friend. How should the relationship be altered to accommodate one person having feelings for the other? Should the relationship end? Respecting your partner offers another complication. At what point do you open the space and allow your partner to fill the missing whole your friend jumps into so easily. This post offers more contemplation that action. Go through some of your x-x-y experiences right now. Could they be tweaked in some way to help minimize uncomfortable feelings for anyone involved? How can you move forward and nurture yourself as much as you nurture others. Be clear about what you need. No one else is advocating for your needs.

Thursday 7 November 2013

Made with love

There is goodness woven into an handmade item. The maker used their skills and their creativity to develop goods to share with the community. The care and attention used creates an essence that is not present when the item is made on a factory conveyor belt. Take time this week to visit a Famer's Market or craft show in your neighbourhood where you can buy honey, Christmas cards, or a warm hat made with love. I was lucky enough to have mittens knitted for me by a friend that I will wear all winter long and think of her each time I slide them onto my chilly hands.

Wednesday 6 November 2013

What's your story?

We all have unique lives with stories that would blow people's minds. We've all been through trauma of some description and we all had to crawl ourselves out of darkness at some point, or many points along the way. Your story is meant to be heard. You are the best storyteller for your tale of extraordinary adventures. If you are too nervous to share, just write down what has made you, you. Pull out those painful memories and let them lay on the paper breathing, exposed, open. Let them mix and mingle with the atmosphere and allow any emotions to flow. Find a good friend that you can be raw with. Bare your soul and sit and listen as they reciprocate the gift. There is beauty in nakedness, vulnerability, and mutual acceptance. Let your soul dance through your chapters of pain and love and inner expansion.

Tuesday 5 November 2013

Experience a new view

We view ourselves from the inside out. In this position we see all the cracks and breaks, light shining through to point out the obvious flaws. This is just one vantage point. There are others. We know how we see other humans. We notice their gifts and talents and brains in such a way that their darker spots are barely there for us to see and all we witness is their light. The only way to wear this lense for ourselves is to listen to an external soul. Like a gift my friend once sent me said, "A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you, even when you have forgotten the words" we need help to know our inner song. So ask away. You may be frightened but it is the good things in life that require a bit of fear first. My Doctor was one to talk some sense into me. He took me on a tour of my exterior view and what I saw was perfect, and whole, and beautiful exactly as it was. What a gift!!

Monday 4 November 2013

Noted

It takes a lot for us to share with another how they bring so much light into our lives. It is just not part of our everyday conversation. Sometimes though, it can be easier to write it out than to say it out loud from our heart. Choose a person today to write a note for. It could just be two words "You're awesome" and it can say so much. Find a good place to hide this message of love. Maybe in their lunch bag, in their pocket or in front of their computer. Who will you connect with in this act of friendship and caring? I received a note from my roommate on my bed this morning. It made me smile so bright.

Sunday 3 November 2013

Fun with food

Our days are so busy and filled with many tasks that occupy our mind and keep us from feeling centred and peaceful. Eating a meal can take us into the present moment. The smells, the texture, the tingling of our taste buds with each almost sensual bite. This week plan three meals that will bring you health, vitality and happiness. Maybe a nice winter stew, an exotic salad or a rich pasta. Choose lots of vegetables, maybe ones you rarely place in your body. Let the chemical reaction move through your digestive system bringing you energy and life. What meals will you create? I am making chicken pot pie, ham and beef stew as I greet the day with all this snow outside.

Saturday 2 November 2013

Floral fancies

When we dip into fall and winter, we may discover that nature is far out of our reach. The leaves have fallen, the trees are bare and the flower blooms are long gone. We need nature to bring us peace and happiness. Add some life into your home with some greenery and some floral designs that delight the senses and lift up any room. Choose your favourite colours, collect your favourite smells, grab a few unique stems that scream YOU. Do not wait for a loved one to send them, head outdoors and find a local shop that can provide you with items that fulfill your floral desires. I would love to know what arrangements you create. I purchased some white roses, willows and daisies with loads of greenery. I cannot stop looking at them!

Friday 1 November 2013

Get spooky

When we were children we spent countless hours in our costumes pretending we were little red riding hood or He-Man or a scary ghoul. We loved the act of dressing up in a different outfit than we would wear in our normal day-to-day lives. We could be a character with different personalities and powers. It would ignite our imaginations and give us a thrill. Why do we stop dressing up? It is such a great practice and it makes people of all ages smile when they see us kicking the norm in the teeth and saying "Here I am, I am different and fun and silly". We rarely find the time to play and pretend and imagine. Let your Halloween spirit float free and choose a great way to not be you for one day. I dressed up as a wood fairy spreading wishes of nature for all the world to enjoy! What did you dress up as or want to dress up as?