"Alphabet of Gratitude"

Recently it was suggested to me to sign up for the 21 Day Gratitude Challenge which is accessible at gratitudechallenge.com.  I have as well as my entire family.  Today I am suppose to use the alphabet to list what I am grateful for so here it is:
A:  ANN (my sister)
B:  BELIEVE, BEACHES, BELLA
C:  COURAGE, COACHING, CARS, CRAYONS, CHRISTINE, CHOCOLATE, CAKE
D:  DOGS, DESSERT, DAISIES, DAD, DAVID
E:  ELEGANCE, ENLIGHTENMENT, ENERGY
F:  FAITH, FAMILY, FRIENDS
G:  GOD
H:  HAPPINESS, HOME
I:  INTUITION, INTIMACY
J:  JOY
K:  KITTENS, KARMA, KINDNESS
L:  LAUREN, LOVE, LOUIE, LAUGHTER
M:  MADELINE, MOM, ME, MUSIC, MONEY
N:  NIECES, NEPHEW, NO
O:  OPENNESS,  OUTRAGEOUS, OCEANS
P:  PASSION, PATCHOULI, PURPOSE, PHOTOS, POSITIVENESS
Q:  QUESTIONS, QUESTS
R:  ROBERT, ROBBY
S:  SUNSHINE, SUNSETS, SUMMER, SMILES, SILENCE, SHOWERS
T:  TIME, TREES
U:  ULTRA-MARINE, UMBILICAL CORD, UNDERWEAR
V:  VICTORY, VISIONARY, VET, VOICE, VACATIONS
W: WATER, WAFFLES, WASHER, WAVES, WEEKENDS, WEDDING, WIND, WORK
X:  X-RAYS, X-MAS
Y:  YELLOW, YES
Z:  ZEN



After writing my list, a part of me wanted to keep going back and adding to it, I stopped.  It is nice to see what I am grateful for in large text.  I love that I want to make my list even larger.

Muchos Gracias.

The Magic of Christmas

Having grown-up with a mother that believed in the magic of Christmas until her untimely death at 57 I find this time of year magical.  Despite the running around, the overwhelming sense of consumerism, I relish in the magic it brings to my three children.  Sleigh tracks that have magically appeared near the special mailbox that is only used this time of year.   The little elf that is secretly exploring our house. The mysterious red light coursing through the sky on trial runs, and the personalized e-mails that were sent by none other than the big jolly man himself.   MAGIC

To create it is simple, BELIEVE.  Believe in the spirit of Christmas.  Have it live in your heart, share it with others, enjoy its joy and magic.  Watching my children run to the mailbox to see if their letters were taken only to return with three very unique chocolate Santas.  Ones that could only of been made at the North Pole.  The look of wonderment in their eyes while searching for the little elf Jingle, who is quite clever.  These are the real gifts of Christmas.

Now I cannot lie and say that I always walk around with Christmas joy in my pocket because that is not the truth.  Sunday was a day I was struggling to capture this joy.  The day consisted of listening to a group of children (5), three of them mine, fight, bicker, quit, cry etc. all regarding the Christmas play that was to be performed at 5:30pm.  I was dreading it.  I was irritated that not only did I have to listen to them fight about it all day but now I had to sit down and watch it, wondering when the first quarrel would erupt between the siblings.  Well, the play began promptly at 5:30.  Children are very punctual when they are in charge.  I watched, I listened, I sat in awe.  It was so beautiful words cannot express how much joy a play designed, staged, and directed by five children ranging in ages of 5 yrs. old to 10 yrs. old brought to five grown adults.

On an early December day I had the privilege of a front row seat watching the spirit of Christmas come to life.  How grateful am I.

"Mediocrity"

"

Mediocrity... hmmm  I am not sure what to say about this other than it is huge.  Recently I attended a coaching class and to my surprise this beast lives inside of me.  It didn't show itself immediately, it waited.  It hid behind many things, many emotions.  It dressed up in many costumes but when it revealed itself...wow.  When I began to play around with it  I recoiled physically as well as emotionally. The flood gates opened and wouldn't stop.  I didn't like it, not one bit.  I wanted it to go away but it wouldn't.  I had to sit with it no matter how painful it got.  I didn't like this play date.  Not at all.

Much has changed since this encounter, I now know it's name, I can see, and I know how to confront it.  I am not letting it bully me around anymore  .  Having to go to an emotional place that was very uncomfortable and painful has freed me.  The tools are now present.  Eternal gratitude exists within my heart from being brought here.


" In all humans affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result.  Chance is not.  'Gifts,' powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort; they are thoughts completed, objectives accomplished, visions realized.

The vision that you glorify in your mind, the deal that you enthrone in your heart; this you will build your life by, this you will become."   As A Man Thinketh,  James Allen

"Fear"

Fear...for a four letter word it is quite large.  Sometimes this word is so big one can see it, feel, smell it, and possibly taste it.  It stands in our way many times yet it can save us too. When one thinks about it, do we give it too much life.  Do we make it bigger than it really is?  If we were to break it down, pick it apart, or better yet dress it up in a cute little bunny costume how would it serve us?  Maybe it would give us strength vs. weakness,   laughter vs. pain or possibly support vs. opposition.

Shifting the perspective of fear to one of strength with the knowledge that we are much larger than our fears will help to conquer it.

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear. "  

Mark Twain

"Stillness"

 

The quiet sound of their grazing, the calmness of the marsh, the cloudless sky, the soft whistle of birds, the low buzz of a bee, the warmth of the late afternoon sun...stillness.

The stillness of a day can bring much, a calm soul, a new perspective, unbridled creativity, an answer to a question, an inner peace.  Sometimes the best medicine is an ample dose of silence.

"In silence I had found a place where I could hear the voice inside.   

I could sit in the sun and sip the sweetness of its cup.

I slowed down, reflected, and rested.  And I wanted more."  

Anne D. LeClaire,  Listening Below The Noise

"Close your eyes and find your purpose."

Recently I conducted an experiment on my husband about finding one of the answers to a question that has been troubling him for some time.  The final results of the experiment were truly magical.  We were able to  slightly open the door to find out his true passion and his purpose here.  Though it was a crack ever so small, it was a beginning.  What he discovered with this exercise was this answer lifted a huge weight from his shoulders.  All I could say was "Wow."

Being such a believer in the magic of coaching, I want to share with you what I did with my husband to possibly give you a glimpse of your life purpose.

Close your eyes.  Yesterday was the last day that you did what you were doing.  You are done with it.  It is over.  Tomorrow is the first day that you get to start doing what you love.  When you get up in the morning it will be your very first day.  How do you feel?  What is different about you now?  What do you see?  I want you to feel it, I want to you breathe in deeply and know that it is yours now.  Your time has arrived and this gift that has been with you all along, now gets to be opened.  Sit and relish in the pure beauty of it.  You deserve it.

Congratulations this is one of the very first steps in helping you discover what is your purpose.  Enjoy this moment, write down what you saw and how you felt.  This gift is yours, it is who you are and what makes you so utterly special to this beautiful world.


"To live our passion and fulfill our purpose is the sweet nectar of life."

"What shoes are you wearing today?"

Do your shoes fit?  Are they comfortable or do you find you have blisters at the end of the day?  Think for a moment about what you have chosen to do for a living? Do you feel comfortable in the profession or by the end of the day does your soul feel a little worn and sensitive like your feet can feel if you have been wearing the wrong shoes.

I have been thinking a lot lately about all of the pairs of shoes I have worn, currently own, and hope to some day purchase.  Right now, my shoes, my passion, my purpose fits me like a glass slipper.  I can reflect back on all of the wrong shoes I wore but without them I wouldn't be where I am today.

It is a choice one makes every day as to which shoes to wear, make sure the ones you put on fit comfortably and are the right size.

Reach out to me if you need help choosing your shoes because once you choose the right pair you will NEVER want to wear the wrong ones ever again.

Create an extraordinary life the choice is yours.


"The first and most important step toward success is the feeling that we can succeed."--Nelson Boswell

"The American Dream"

With a week that started off with a deep sense of patriotism blanketed by gratitude and remembrance, I feel fortunate.  I feel fortunate to have been born in this beautiful country...The United States of America.  So many opportunities, so many possibilities, so many freedoms, so much to offer.  Have I really experienced all that this beautiful country represents? Have I really looked around at my freedom to choose and appreciate all the choices?

"What choices would you make if you were guaranteed your outcome?"

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in making new landscapes but in having new eyes."               

 Marcel Proust

"Committed"

Recently I have been giving a lot thought to the concept of being "committed."  In thinking about the literal translation of commitment which means a promise or a pledge I have been rethinking my life.  Goals are very important to me but the real change will occur when I mentally and physically commit.   To be committed you will experience transformation.  The goal is what you strive for,  the commitment is the change.  If one wants to be in shape they have to commit to a healthy active lifestyle; they want to be debt free they commit to not spending with the goal being debt free. 

"What are you committed to?"

"No great thing is created suddenly."  Epictetus

"Our Internal Art"

Created from an open shutter,  a sparkler, and a child's erratic movements... a beautiful flash of art never to be duplicated.

"Should your natural internal piece of art shine, what would it look like?"

Within us all, lays our true passion, our longing for purpose, and a desire to find it, begin the work and your art will shine.

"Question 2"

Having just recently been given the gift of power, my daily question was delayed.  Knowing what you loved as a child and living in a supportive encouraging environment that fed your dreams,

"Where would you be now if you had followed those dreams and what would it look and feel like?"

"Live life with a fire that can never be extinguished."

"30 Days, 30 Questions"

They say you can create a behavior if you consistently do it for 30 days, I believe it takes longer but I do think 30 days is a great beginning.  In coaching we believe that you are already whole and complete.  Much of what we seek we already possess, the answers to all of our questions.  In a time when there is so much unknown, so much searching, and so much to discover, the best gift you can give yourself is the gift of you.  Get to know you, find out what your passions are, remember what it is like  when there were no barriers in your life, give yourself the gift,  YOU.  In the next 30 days I am going to post a question a day for you to ponder and explore unleashing the real you, because what you seek you already have.

"What did you love as a child?"

"Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, and the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." -Napoleon Hill
 

"The Quest"

... 70 wing flaps per SECOND 

... 1260 heart beats per minute

... speeds of 25-30 mph

... on average 1000 flowers visited per day in their quest for fuel

................ THE HUMMINGBIRD

To achieve greatness, one must pursue, possess, and acquire an insatiable appetite for the achievement.  You will visit the 1000 flowers, fluttering your wings, travelling as fast you can all the while your life source beats at a rapid pace.
                        

"Greatness is achieved when mediocrity is not tolerated.  It comes to those willing to put in the long hours, hard work and sacrifice."

How we frame our lives.

 

In looking at this picture, it made me think of how I view myself as well as my world around me.  Do I like the frame that surrounds me?  Is it smooth without edges?  Is it skewed? Do I have a clear vision?  Do I always display the real me? Am I embracing the flaws and not knowings with continual growth?  

There are many frames that surround the pictures of our lives, I want to make sure the one that is framing my life now is the right one.

Display all your frames with compassion, for they are shadow boxes of your life.

"For today it is sunny."

A few petals on a delicate flower gently raise themselves up.   Ever so subtle, ever so eloquent.  To remain flat is not an option.  They continue to push themselves beyond their comfort.  Lifting higher than they ever have been or may ever be again; for tomorrow it may rain and the drops will make their petals heavy but today... it is sunny.

"Do not sit idly and wait for the rain, embrace the sun and raise yourself to greater heights."

"Five Star Recipe for Fun"

Ingredients needed:

 5 innocent children

4 childlike parents

5 pies made of whip cream (keep refrigerated until ready for use)

One very convincing game

Directions:  Make sure all of the 5 children are completely unaware of what is going to happen.  Combine them all in a nice orderly line, make sure the little one follows directions or he could ruin the entire recipe, remain calm, no giggling, proceed to count down and then have them turn around to participate in the highly believable fictitious game and WHAM grace them with a face of whip cream.  The end result is a recipe that will be passed down for many generations to come.

"The best laid plans are ones lined with laughter, surprise and a little cool whip. "

"I wish..."

I found a large dandelion, so of course I felt I had to have large wishes to go with hit.  A large wish is something I tend to associate with a lot of money or something that with the help of God can come true.  Wishes are our dreams, desires, and hopes.

When I was little, I wished for the same thing every year at my birthday.  With out fail, I wouldn't even have to think twice.  I would take a deep breath blow extra hard but not too hard because you had to spot the candle that was holding on for dear life.  That was the magical candle, it was going to make your special birthday wish come true.  You couldn't tell anyone, that would ruin the wish.  The last standing candle was the one that went under your pillow, performed some sort of magic and voila,  your wish came true.  If only it were that easy.  My wish did come true one day, we got a dog, a mutt named Sammy.

So pick-up that dandelion, blow extra  hard to  spread your wishes all around you and possibly your neighbors, and dream.  Dream that your wish no matter how little or how big will some day come true.  I can't guarantee it but if you keep wishing for the same thing over and over chances are you will be wishing yourself closer and  closer to one of your dreams.

"I wonder..."

Have you ever wondered where you would be if you went left when everyone else went right?  Have you ever wondered where you would be if you wouldn't of picked up the phone, made the call, or decided to stay instead of go?  I have to honestly say I don't wonder so much about the what ifs as I do about the what will be.  What can I create, achieve, experience and appreciate because I took the risk.  I am putting myself out there this fall to start my true journey that has been over 12 years in the making.  I am scared, I am nervous but most of all I am excited.  I am excited to start living the  second half of my life on purpose.  Beginning in September I officially begin my life coaching training.  With this training I hope to be able to help others create, believe and inspire to be true to oneself.

Our paths are short in life, be sure to live your life on the right one suited just for you whether it is paved with  rocks, sand, grass, or boulders they are all unique just as you are.  Journeys are never easy but the true beauty exists when you realize that.  A destination is just that but a journey is so much more. 

"Waiting..."

A ball, a dog, a door, a toss, a yard, waiting...waiting to be tossed, waiting to be thrown, waiting to be caught.  Simply put, subtle statement, waiting to come alive. 

Like our inner voice, our authentic self, quietly waiting to be heard, patiently waiting to be explored, never leaving, always yearning to come alive.

Today, take the courage, take the step,  throw the ball and come alive.

"Sticking with it."

Recently I have begun a workout program with a good friend.  We both do our workouts from our own homes but email each other daily with a progress report.  I can honestly say if it weren't for my friend there is no way I would still be doing the exercises.  The 1st week was the worst.  My body was so sore I could barely put my shirt on, walk down the stairs or hug my kids without some sort of pain.  We both laughed and cried about it.

The 2nd week much better and now we are into the 3rd week and my own strength is truly amazing me.  I still have to pause the videos and sometimes I am not that excited about working out but when I am done, I feel great.  I feel accomplished.  I feel successful.  Never before have I had a workout partner and now that I do, I highly recommend it.  When someone else is relying on, counting on you, you force yourself to come through.  It isn't so much about disappointing myself if I don't, it is more about letting down a friend who is trusting me to keep my promise.  Having this experience has really opened my eyes to the fact that somethings are more likely to happen when you team up with someone who has the same goals in mind.  This lesson I am learning will transcend beyond the workout and will be applied to many other goals I have in mind for myself.  So until then I will sweat, I will have pain, but I WILL NOT quit.

My own my motto says it best...

"Live with NO excuses, NO buts allowed."