"Choosing easy is smart, efficient, elegant; a fantastic form of self-compassion; giving yourself a break and getting out of your own way. Choosing easy is letting inspiration be your compass. Choosing easy is allowing for the things that you've been asking for to enter your life." - The Firestarter Sessions, Danielle LaPorte
I'm a little uncomfortable in my own skin right now. I am morphing into a person I hardly know. I feel good. About me! I feel certain about -well, everything! It feels so easy. Like, scary disconcerting easy. (ah, the familiar pang of neuroses) Actually, I'm OK with the voice of doubt, I guess it will always be there. I simply refuse to let it stop me in my tracks. I will listen, then let my intuition steer me where it will. Oh, and guess what else? I feel healthier! I have more energy and a to-do list that I look forward to tackling. That means less time perusing the fridge and pantry for instant gratification. Rather than examine and analyze how I got here (by faith, really), I think I will just put out a great big huge giant THANK YOU. Thank You, God, for hearing every one of my prayers, and for the divine placement of the incredibly passionate people with whom I have the privilege of working with, -or rather, dreaming, growing, and laughing with. Yes, we laugh! God answered that prayer too. Thank you Tammy, Ron, Nancy, and Lisa for sharing your hearts and for loving me. Thank you Mike, for ALL that you do and ALL that you are. Thanks to all of my family and friends for cheering us on. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I fully intend to pay it all forward and then some. There's no limit to what I can accomplish when I choose easy. And if you're curious about the direction I am headed, please check out http://buildingthrive.com/home
Monday, January 27, 2014
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Greater Than Good
"Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life."- Omar Khayyam
Hey, how's it going? How've you been? How are you? .....How many times a day are you asked a similar question, and what is your typical response? Most times, it is a mechanical word or two, pleasant, pithy, or precocious. What I really want to know is, how ARE you? Do you even know? Do you make time regularly for self-reflection? My prayer for you is that you have the means necessary to look within yourself and answer with elation and/or, at the very least, honesty. I pray you give yourself time and energy to search for your hearts happiness, so that you can answer, "I'm blessed." No? My God, what are you waiting for? And please don't tell me that you don't have time. Time is all that you have, and this moment must be lived to its very fullest. And don't dare leave room for that voice that tries to say you don't deserve it. Bullshit. Nothing could be farther from the truth! You are a child of God. You are the heir and beneficiary to the kingdom of heaven. Take this second, right here, right now, to not only forgive yourself any imagined insufficiency, but also to embrace it. 'Cause guess what? You're not perfect. You never will be, but you are perfect in His eyes and shouldn't that be good enough for you? Now that we have that established, get straight to the business of making you happy: Start with a moment of meditation. Turn right at your first baby step. Pass by several doubts and if you encounter any self-criticism, turn around. When you come to a realization or an 'a-ha' moment, increase your momentum. Most likely you will have to take a leap of faith. There will be detours, setbacks, and inclement weather, however, none of these will keep you from your ultimate destination. Happiness. You will get there with fortitude, fearlessness, and faith. And a little help from your friends. Take it from me, I know. I'm blessed.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Expect Nothing Less
I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be - and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.” -Lady Gaga
I like to dabble. I have taken up many hobbies that I quite enjoy. Singing, guitar playing, cake decorating, golf, all kinds of crafts, sewing, playing soccer, I have even tried my hand at writing a couple songs. I take some pride in having a wide variety of interests, and I'm better at some of these activities than others. But, I am not great at any of them. I could ponder a good long while figuring out why, but ultimately it comes down to where my heart and my passion lie. I wish I was great at something, -anything. Alas, I am painfully conscious of how my level of expectation affects my level of motivation. I never mind being a beginner. The first few tries are always cause for celebration. I don't expect to be a virtuoso, it just feels good dipping my toe in the water, no matter if the results are a bit sloppy. But a sad thing happens as time goes by and I gain experience; my expectations rise. That's when I get discouraged. I lose my heart and my passion. I can remind myself again and again that people who are great at what they do spend years devoted solely to their dream. Still, I am easily swayed and easily distracted. I realize it takes more than time and talent to be truly great though. It takes a steel will and the serendipitous discovery of finding the precise juncture where physical capability meets heart's desire. That truly is a rare thing. So maybe the odds are stacked against me. I may never be great at anything. Still, I am interested to see where my dreams plus some hard work and determination will take me. That and my great expectations.
I like to dabble. I have taken up many hobbies that I quite enjoy. Singing, guitar playing, cake decorating, golf, all kinds of crafts, sewing, playing soccer, I have even tried my hand at writing a couple songs. I take some pride in having a wide variety of interests, and I'm better at some of these activities than others. But, I am not great at any of them. I could ponder a good long while figuring out why, but ultimately it comes down to where my heart and my passion lie. I wish I was great at something, -anything. Alas, I am painfully conscious of how my level of expectation affects my level of motivation. I never mind being a beginner. The first few tries are always cause for celebration. I don't expect to be a virtuoso, it just feels good dipping my toe in the water, no matter if the results are a bit sloppy. But a sad thing happens as time goes by and I gain experience; my expectations rise. That's when I get discouraged. I lose my heart and my passion. I can remind myself again and again that people who are great at what they do spend years devoted solely to their dream. Still, I am easily swayed and easily distracted. I realize it takes more than time and talent to be truly great though. It takes a steel will and the serendipitous discovery of finding the precise juncture where physical capability meets heart's desire. That truly is a rare thing. So maybe the odds are stacked against me. I may never be great at anything. Still, I am interested to see where my dreams plus some hard work and determination will take me. That and my great expectations.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Beauty Is In the Mind of the Beheld
"Beauty is the opposite of perfection. It's about confidence, charisma, and character." -#Nordstrom
Last night, Dateline aired an episode featuring four young people who were all considering plastic surgery. Each of them felt extremely low self-esteem and had felt bullied to varying extents because of their looks. At first sight, these young men and women each had some prominent and remarkable facial feature that stood out. However, after hearing them talk for only a few moments, those features receded to the background, and their hearts shone through. Sadly, most of us can relate to feeling like a freak in some way or another. In our society, Barbie doll looks are revered, and we go to great lengths to achieve them. Even men have succumbed and these days, tanned, hairless, manicured model is the new prototype. Me, I am on a mission. I want our children to learn at the earliest age possible that beauty comes from within. It comes from loving yourself. And if you insist on limiting that label to some physical attribute, then look into my eyes. It is almost impossible to look into someone's eyes and not see their soul. Love, compassion, joy, pain, hope, humor; all the beauty of living is visible in our eyes. I'm not sure how we regress from childhood through middle-age -when we are considered past our prime physical attributes, and forget what it means to be beautiful. Somewhere in those pre-adolescent years, our own beauty becomes shrouded in a massive cloud of judgment. Suddenly, all that matters is looking like everyone else. And when we don't, we compensate by doing like everyone else. And it takes decades to overcome the trauma of being analyzed, criticized, judged, and denied by the one who truly matters. Yourself. We waste years searching for our misplaced self-esteem. We can't remember the last time we had it, but we think we might have left it in someone else's hands back in middle school. Still can't find it? Ok, go ahead and do your hair and make-up. Put on something pretty. Admire your efforts and then get right up to the mirror and look yourself in the eyes. There it is. That's funny, your beauty has been there the whole time.
Last night, Dateline aired an episode featuring four young people who were all considering plastic surgery. Each of them felt extremely low self-esteem and had felt bullied to varying extents because of their looks. At first sight, these young men and women each had some prominent and remarkable facial feature that stood out. However, after hearing them talk for only a few moments, those features receded to the background, and their hearts shone through. Sadly, most of us can relate to feeling like a freak in some way or another. In our society, Barbie doll looks are revered, and we go to great lengths to achieve them. Even men have succumbed and these days, tanned, hairless, manicured model is the new prototype. Me, I am on a mission. I want our children to learn at the earliest age possible that beauty comes from within. It comes from loving yourself. And if you insist on limiting that label to some physical attribute, then look into my eyes. It is almost impossible to look into someone's eyes and not see their soul. Love, compassion, joy, pain, hope, humor; all the beauty of living is visible in our eyes. I'm not sure how we regress from childhood through middle-age -when we are considered past our prime physical attributes, and forget what it means to be beautiful. Somewhere in those pre-adolescent years, our own beauty becomes shrouded in a massive cloud of judgment. Suddenly, all that matters is looking like everyone else. And when we don't, we compensate by doing like everyone else. And it takes decades to overcome the trauma of being analyzed, criticized, judged, and denied by the one who truly matters. Yourself. We waste years searching for our misplaced self-esteem. We can't remember the last time we had it, but we think we might have left it in someone else's hands back in middle school. Still can't find it? Ok, go ahead and do your hair and make-up. Put on something pretty. Admire your efforts and then get right up to the mirror and look yourself in the eyes. There it is. That's funny, your beauty has been there the whole time.
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