Feeling Free

I can definitely feel summer just around the corner and even more so now that we are heading out of dodge for a family vacation to the Rocky Mountains.  This is the first time the three (and a half) of us have been on an extended trip - alone - without big plans or a family gathering of some kind.  I can honestly say, that beyond knowing where we are going to stay, we have absolutely nothing planned.  No agenda.  Nowhere to go.  Nothing we have to do.  And that's what I call a vacation!

I only have a few intentions set for this trip: 1) to spend as much of the waking day outside - in nature - as possible, 2) to throw away any sort of daily routine we are used to and never look at a clock, 3) to meet my virtual pal, Suzy, in person 4) to eat really well and 5) to relax and be fully present with my two favorite boys!

I am also planning to "unplug."  I know that I'll have to check my phone a few times and will post some photos to Facebook, however, I'm taking an extended break from the blogging world.  So, I leave you with just a few reminders while I'm gone.

Inside Out e-course starts June 21st!
Registration is NOW open for this wonderful creative adventure of self-discovery.  Don't miss your opportunity!  This is the last one I'm offering for 2010.  (Also, if you sign-up by May 28th, 30% of your registration fee will be donated to a charity helping the people of Haiti.)

A BIG thank you to Hip Mountain Mama for the opportunity to be a sponsor for One Small Change.  Visit HERE to see the sweet little write-up she shared about Inside Out.

Summer Camp e-course starts in August!

This is my newest class that I'm still adding a lot of yummy, messy, fun art and exploration to.  I haven't shared any details about the course yet, but you'll learn more when I "plug" back in to my blog some time in June.

For those of you reducing clutter to create space this year, our theme for June is "digital clutter."  Get started on those nagging computer files, clear out your email inbox and start organizing your digital photos!  Let us know of your progress on our reduce clutter forum. (To see a schedule of monthly theme's for the remainder of 2010, check out the right side of my blog.)

Your Personal Reflection:  I feel totally alive and rejuvenated when swinging on a warm day, feeling the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair, while chewing the juiciest piece of strawberry bubble gum.  When do you feel free?  I wish you THAT kind of day.

Life is Short - LIVE it Now

We recently took a road trip to Des Moines, Iowa to honor the life of my grandmother.  It was a wonderful, joyous celebration and so nice to see family members I hadn't seen in years.  This was one of three funerals that week and it sure has us reflecting on life in general and what it means to LIVE it fully and presently.

I've been more conscious these days of what it means to connect deeply to the people and experiences in my life.  This moment is only here for now, and will change.  I want to continue living the best life I can live - right now, and not wait for that perfect moment.  Because really, the perfect moment IS now.

Here are a few snapshots of our trip to the Heartland, that I captured in the moment.

Your Personal Reflection:  Life is short.  Is there someone you have been meaning to connect with in your life or something you've been meaning to do?  Call them today.  Do it now.  

And here's a good exercise to try while practicing living in the moment:  Everyone you come in contact with today - look them in the eyes.  See if you can challenge yourself by noticing their eye color.  It's all too often we move so fast throughout the day that we rarely take the time to do this.  Try it and let me know how it goes!

12 Personal Highlights from the Past 12 Months

1) Intentions: I set an intention for 2009 to live my life more boldly, fully and freely. (I also started my blog and joined Twitter to share, connect, and grow with other free spirits.)

2) Celebrations: I honored Kestan on his big, first birthday,

and celebrated 6 years of marriage to this awesome guy.

3) Gained Insight: I learned a great lesson on this wonderful, summer day, from my sweet little boy, about Going Shoeless.  I also reread Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth, and listened to his podcasts. I discovered Oprah's Soul Series, and enjoyed the teachings of Wayne Dyer, Rev. Ed Bacon, Elizabeth Lesser, and so many others.

4) Wellness:  Enjoyed abundant tomatoes in our garden, perfected my hummus recipe, and experimented with gluten-free cooking.  Loved dancing at Zumba each week and occasionally hit a yoga class.

5) Inspiration: I had the privilege of participating in some amazing on-line courses that made me see things in a new way. From Elise's Get Crafty class, I was reminded to see the special details in the everyday. In Lisa's Visual Journals workshop, I was reminded how journaling has always been a huge part of my life and creative process, and her insight helped me embrace myself as an entrepreneur.  SARK's Juicy Journaling simply reminded me just how much I love SARK.  She has always been a source of inspiration to me. In fact, for years, I used to say, "I want to live a SARK lifestyle."  (Like keeping time by the amount of tea cups you've used, or taking naps every day!)  I actually started living the lifestyle I've always dreamed of, and SARK is one person who's helped me get there.  (During her course, I got to personally thank her, which was a very special moment for me.)

 

6) Risk-Taking:  I left a consistently paying job to become a stay-at-home and work-from-home mom.  Getting my Iphone allowed me to go mobile.  I was able to keep Kestan out of daycare and merge my personal career goals with being a hands-on mommy.

 

7) Pure Love:  In October, we celebrated my gorgeous sister's magical marriage ceremony to her wonderful husband, Matt.  My husband took the photos, my brother's band played the music, and many family and friends lent their helping hands.  It truly was a family affair, and the most beautiful celebration of what it means to love another.

8) Creativity:  Enjoyed a creatively inspiring month of making art EVERY day, and joined the Create Every Day group for next year.  I reconnected to a deep longing to paint.  It was a transformative experience for me, one that opened my heart and reminded me what it means to trust.  Thanks, Leah!

9) Abundance:  I started my Etsy shop. (and made some sales!)

10) Connection:  I created, developed and opened registration for my first ever e-course:  Inside Out - A Creative Adventure of Self-Discovery. This is a whole new journey for me, one that makes me feel as though every cell in my body is radiating with excitement and happiness. (And, a little scary, too!)

11) Joy:  The joy I feel about being a mother is somewhat indescribable.  What I can say is that spending the days with my little guy is a great gift.  I am full of gratitude for an amazing holiday season, with Kestan's first knowledge of "anta, and more snow than we've had in years - sledding and snowman making galore!  Watching him grow is like Christmas everyday.

12) Space: I introduced Reduce Clutter; Create Space 2010 and was overwhelmed by the response from other like-minded souls who want to take this journey with me.  I invite this new year, as a year to simplify, to reduce, and to make S P A C E for what's most important.

Whoa.  It's been a big year.  Now, I sit back.  I take a big breath.  I exhale fully and smile.  And, now it seems, a nap is a really good idea.

Happy new year to each of you!

Your Personal Reflection: What are YOUR highlights and celebrations of this past year? 

Growing from Fear

I found an old journal entry of mine that said, "Why is my fear so paralyzing?" We all know that feeling, right? That place where we are frozen by our own fear. We may not see it as fear at the time, but fear is usually the root of the disharmony in our lives. It's that hidden thing that keeps us from trying new things, that makes it easy to criticize others, that prevents us from stepping out of the box, or speaking our truth, and it doesn't allow us to fully experience life.

I used to be paralyzed by the idea of stepping away from a consistent paycheck, towards my dream of being a self-employed, work-from-home artist, coach, and mother. This fear translated in my mind through thoughts like, "I'm not ready. I need more training. Who's going to hire me? There are enough coaches out there as it is. I'm not a real artist. We'll starve. I'll be a failure. How are we going to live? We'll lose our house." Ahhh...enough to make anyone go mad!

This fear soon developed into physical ailments. I started getting headaches. My shoulders, neck, and throat were tight ('Cause I wasn't speaking my truth and my thoughts were definitely putting the weight of worry on my shoulders!) The vibrancy of my being, that enthusiastic, excited-for-life energy was being drained and overtaken by negativity, worry, and self-doubt - all stemming from my fear.

It wasn't until I started observing and changing my reoccurring thoughts, trusting my intuition, and accepting the feelings that come from uncertainty, that I started seeing some deeper change in my life.

4 Ways to Face Your Fear (and grow from it, too!)

1)Accept It

2)Release It

3) Practice It

4) Go For It

Accept It

So many times I find myself resisting that fear is even present. This is when I'm not being really honest with myself. I start thinking that fear shouldn't be there. That somehow I'm being weak if I'm feeling scared. It's this resistance to fear that keeps me stuck! When I change a thought pattern from thinking fear shouldn't be there, or that I need to conquer it, I can ACCEPT that fear is a natural part of any uncertain situation. In fact, the flip-side of passion is fear, so taking steps towards living your passions will definitely bring up some fears. Accept that the fear will be there, and DO IT anyway.

Release it

It's easy to feel alone, like we're the only ones feeling insecure, worried, agitated, frustrated, depressed or scared. We ALL have these feelings from time-to-time. Rather than keep these fears bottled up, LET THEM OUT. There are many healthy ways to release our fears, and I know, from my own experience, that my mind, body and spirit feel so much freer when I give my fears a place to go.

Tips to Releasing Fears:

1) Write Them Down - Sometimes just taking pen to paper and free-form writing can be a wonderfully releasing exercise. Free-form writing is where you write without thinking about it. Just let the words come out. Write. Write. Write. Now you don't have to carry that fear and you've given it a place to go. (Having a favorite journal and pen is helpful.)

2) Create Sacred Space - Set up some space in your home that is YOUR own. A place where you can go and enjoy some quiet time. This might be a corner in your bedroom, a favorite chair or even the bathtub. Make it sacred by playing your favorite relaxing music, (Check out musician, Patrick Smith) lighting some candles, have your journal, pillow, inspirational readings or a yoga mat nearby. This is the place you return to where you can nurture yourself, especially when you are feeling scared. Just being alone and enjoying a few moments of stillness helps us reconnect to that strength and courage that is in us all. You may find that you're in need for some intense self-reflection time. Look up local retreat centers in your area. Many of them offer spiritual guidance that you may find very helpful.

3) Breathe - Nothing is more present than your own breath. Stop. Take a deep inhale. Feel your heart center expand. Smile slightly as you exhale. Usually when we are thinking about the past we are stuck in regret and doubt. When our thoughts are more future-based, we are stuck in worry. Present moment awareness helps us realize that there is no fear in the now. So focus on your breath, in this moment, and enjoy how good it feels to be alive.

4) Observe Your Thoughts - Nothing is more eye-opening than discovering the words and phrases you repeat to yourself throughout the day. When those fear-based statements arise (about every few seconds!), say this instead, "I do not need to think this thought." It's simple, and it works.

5) Affirmations - Once you start getting used to observing your thoughts, try focusing on the opposite. So your mind says, "I can't do that because I don't have any money." Kindly observe your mind thinking this, and without judgement, replace the thought with "Wealth comes quickly and effortless into my life." For examples of more affirmations, visit "Affirm Your Life".

6) Get Moving - I'm so grateful to have a toddler who wants his mommy to dance with him every morning! I'm not kidding...EVERY morning. Go to yoga, run, join a workout class, or try Zumba. Getting your blood flowing is a wonderful way to feel better and get your mind off your worry! And who can resist dancing to THIS? (DO IT NOW!)

7) Find Support - Find someone in your life who you feel safe with. Call this person when you are feeling caught up in self-doubt, frustration and worry. Sometimes just having the opportunity to talk it out helps you feel better and find clarity. You may find that hiring a life coach, or scheduling time with a counselor is a wonderful compliment to your work in facing fears. You don't have to do it alone! (Check out my new e-course to find a like-minded community. By the way, offering my e-course is definitely facing one of my fears!)

Practice It

Our fears offer us opportunities to grow. Find the releasing tools that work best for you, and repeat, repeat, repeat! It is in the practice that we learn the most.

Go For It

Even though you feel scared, do it anyone. In fact, the best way to practice is to do something that scares you EVERY day. Take small steps at first. Each time we face a fear, we connect to that inner strength and build our courage to face even more.

Your Personal Reflection: Think about something you've wanted to do in your life, but haven't because you were scared. Are you ready to accept it, release it and GO FOR IT? Be kind to yourself, and enjoy growing with each small step.

Being Free

"Being free, living free, feeling free" has been a mantra of mine lately. Here is an intuitive journal entry I created this week with these words in mind.

Today, I celebrate the aliveness I feel, my friends and family, and the awareness of my breath. For me, feeling free is setting the intention to go deeper. The deeper I go, the more authentic I am, and the freer I feel.

Your Personal Reflection: When do you feel the most free?