You Will Never Get It All Done! ~ The Illusion of “Getting There”
Indeed it is true. You will never ever reach all you need to do. We have our endless to-do lists, and the continuous spill of emails filling our inbox. And we try so hard to complete it all, only to be disappointed that our plate is being served once again. In continuing to look at what needs to get done, we fail to notice all that we have here and now. The Joy of this Moment. The blessings we have now in our life. We temporarily forget what life is all about. There comes a point where we must say to ourselves, “I accept that I will never ‘get there.’” “I accept that there will always be loose ends to tie.” And thank goodness! What […]
8 Keys to Self-Care
“Taking good care of you means the people in your life will receive the best of you rather than what is left of you.” ~ Lorraine Cohen. Self-care is an act of putting your Self and well-being first. Below are eight simple ways to practice self-care and create space for rest, simplicity and playtime. 1. Notice Your Energy Be conscious of how you feel. Are you tired, stressed, anxious? Listen to your body, honor its needs, and don’t push yourself beyond what feels comfortable. 2. Write Down Tasks De-clutter your mind and write your to-do list down. This helps to lesson anxiety and create clarity on what needs to be done. 3. Prioritize Tasks Does it really need to be done now? How much stress […]
Let It Play Itself Out
Work It Out or Let It Play Itself Out? Life is about balance. There is a time to speak and a time to listen. A time to move and a time to rest. And there is a time to work something out in our mind, or let it play itself out. Generally as a society we are better at the former. Recently I could not solve a bookkeeping challenge. I let it go, sat on my bed, meditated and out of nowhere the solution spontaneously arose. Also recently, my web designer said she needed my images to be three times as large. The next day I got a call from a desktop publishing company telling me that they now sell a photo enhancement software. It […]
Simplicity is Best
“Doing nothing is happiness for children and misery for old men.” ~ Victor Hugo. Children’s needs are quite simple. Adults make them complex. As a society we are addicted to doing. There is a tremendous amount of guilt if we don’t do. We must be a good parent, friend, lover or co-worker. We must cook, clean, solve, fix, organize, drive, make, tear down etc. It never ends. “Children will not remember you for the material things you provided but for the feeling that you cherished them.” ~ Richard L. Evans In our need to do, we forget that while doing may provide for the physical needs of children, being supports the emotional needs. Here are some examples of being: Listen and connect with them – truly […]
Balanced Communication
Communication is a balance of giving and receiving, of sending out and allowing in. As you engage in conversations and conduct your Monday meetings, notice the balance between how much space you fill with your expertise, opinions and ideas, and how much room you allow others to share their own. How much are you speaking versus listening, being curious and waiting for others to share? Trust is knowing silence is ok. I don’t have to do it all, and that others, although quiet, have value to contribute. Trust is believing I have value to contribute, and that everyone, including my Self, deserves to hear my voice. Whatever side you default to on this conversation teeter-totter, your growth lies on the other end. Enjoy playing on […]
Saying No, Saying Yes
“Better a friendly refusal than an unwilling promise.” ~ German Proverb. While the dark season calls us to go inwards and reflect, the busyness of the Holiday Season calls us outward to engage. It is not easy to say No to life’s invitations and demands when our pattern is to say Yes. Our social conditioning tells us it is bad to put ourselves first. Yet whenever we say Yes to one thing, we also say No to another, and often what we say No to is our Self. Take time this week to be clear on what you are saying Yes and No to. Are you speaking from guilt, obligation and pressure, or from truth, self-care and your personal values? “Whenever you say the words, […]
Selfishness & Life Balance ~ The Path to Self-Care
When we think of life balance we imagine having more time for ourselves, taking better care of our health and spending more time with loved ones. Often when we struggle to create more room for what we want externally it is because it’s in direct conflict with who we think we “should” be, or what we think we “ought” to be doing. What is wanted externally conflicts with internal beliefs and expectations. One of the most common beliefs that impede that path towards balance is that being selfish is bad or wrong. People grow up in an environment where the very thought of putting yourself first is completely unacceptable. It is ingrained that value and self-worth comes from being productive and putting others first. People […]
Relinquishing the Planner
“If you are open to new possibilities in your life, then that alone will give you access to those possibilities – readiness is all.” ~ Deepak Chopra. Remembering to trust and embrace the present moment. Remembering to trust and embrace your Self. I was driving home from a great day of skiing and decided to stop off at a grocery store to pick up two bags of food. As I parked my car, my mind began wondering how I was going to take my skis and bags out of the car, free my hands to shut the trunk, and go to my apartment in one trip instead of two. I thought and planned and wondered and even stressed a bit! Oh, the stress of two […]