Sprout Seeds of Adventure

Art by Amanda Fall

Every day we're offered countless opportunities to explore, discover, and embrace adventure--but how often do we say no?

When we say yes to life, joy rushes in. We rediscover wonder. We find magic in the mundane. We gather courage we didn't know we had. We surprise ourselves.  We come alive.

Amanda Fall ~ Creator and Editor, Sprout Magazine

A sneak preview of issue seven of Sprout Magazine

I am over the moon with joy and excitement to be a contributor in issue seven (seeds of intention) of Spout Magazine.  Amanda Fall is the talented  Creator and Editor of this beautiful, inspiring, soulful, artsy, and heartfelt on-line magazine.  

Guests in this issue include: 

Aimee Dolich, Joanna Paterson, Lisa Wilson, D Smith Kaich Jones, De Jackson, Maureen Helms Blake, Eydie Kugler, Marthe Hagen, Catina Jane Gray, Mandy Thompson, Elizabeth Hall, Jonathan Hall, Matt Blake, Julia Fehrenbacher, Kelly Barton, Marcie Scudder

Thrive interview series: Vivienne McMaster

Community Garden: Maureen Helms Blake, Marcie Scudder, De Jackson

Wander with us 
through this exciting and playful issue
 of Sprout Magazine.  

 The adventure is now available!  
You can purchase your copy here.

Balance ~~ April OLW Blog Hop

Welcome to the One Little Word Blog Hop where members of Ali Edwards' OLW class share something about their word. On the first of each month, I’ll participate and then give you the link to the next person in line.

My One Little Word for 2012 is BALANCE.  And it's really a big word, with a lot of challenge in it.   

This month I will be focusing on balancing my seven chakras.  When one or more of our chakras fall out of balance, or fails to operate as it is designed to, essential parts of out psychic and spiritual expression become dysfunctional or shut down.

In Sonia Choquette's book, True Balance, she explains, "Our energy system governs our energetic and psychic well-being.  When our seven centers of energy are balanced, we feel feel grounded, emotionally safe, mentally in charge, receptive to love and loving, effective and creative in all forms of our expression, inspired and imaginative, and intimately connected to and guided by the universe."  

When our centers of energy are in alignment, we perform with ease.  Our thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals and values are in balance.

reflection time at  Esalen 

Every day, I am reminded that the need for balance begins in our heart and mind.  The thoughts we think of and the stories we tell shape us and act as weights, allowing us to be in or out of balance.  It is essential to be cognizant that we have the power at any moment, to change or shift any area of our life.  We can create a new or different path so that we can follow our deepest desires.  

What about you? What are your thoughts? What do you do to create balance in your life??   Do share!

Janet is next on out list, you can visit her at 

http://lifeinsideascrapbookroom.blogspot.com

Please visit the participants in the April OLW blog hop. 

Margie       http://xnomads.typepad.com/blog/one-little-word

Monica       http://scrapinspired.com/

Jill            http://jillconyers.com/

Jenn         www.studiojenn.blogspot.com

Kara         http://iwannabemewhenigrowup.blogspot.com

Cheri        http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com

Catherine    http://myview-catherine.blogspot.com

Nikki        www.inkyart.com.au

Cindy        http://www.cynthiacrysdale.com/

Lisa         http://backtoallen.com/category/one-little-word/

Donna        http://holimess.blogspot.com/

Coley        www.coleybelle.blogspot.com

Naomi        http://poeticaperture.com

Stephanie    http://playinghouseinmaryland.blogspot.com

Ruth         http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com

Eydie        www.whatwecreate.net  You care here

Janet        http://lifeinsideascrapbookroom.blogspot.com  Go here next


Orange       http://orangegearle.blogspot.com

Amanda       http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com

Jen          www.jenritchie.com

Melissa S    http://blog.mshanhun.com

Kaylea       www.myscrappylife.com

Missus       http://www.mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.co.uk/

Cindy        http://seriousplay.typepad.com

Beth         www.thesingularlyordinary.blogspot.com 

Tere         http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com/

Kelly        http://mindingmynest.com

Heidi        http://mommy.heidimdavis.com

Source for Chakra chart

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to rise above?

This week for Wishcrafting Wednesday, the inspiring and creative Jamie Ridler asks:

What do you wish to rise above?

I didn’t really need to give much thought to this question, the answer was clear and appeared quickly.


I wish to rise about self-doubt.

Self doubt is something we all know.  It’s a very common human experience.  It undermines our ability to make decisions, step forward in life, and express our natural talents and gifts.

It usually grows from a troubling and persuasive voice that holds us back.  It can be the voice that lives in our own heads, or the voice of others who hold judgments about us.  Wherever the voice of self-doubt originates, it holds us back from seizing opportunities.  It keeps us from living our authentic life.  It silences our intuitive voice, our knowing voice.
  

Yes, I wish to rise above self-doubt.  I wish to let go of what others think, or more so, what I believe others think about me. Rising about self-doubt  will begin when I can let go of the should haves, could haves, and would haves, when I know, believe, and trust I have made the right choices, said the right words, and have let go of who I believe I am supposed to be. Then, and only then, I’m able to allow myself to step forward in my life, express my natural talents and gifts, and deeply believe I am enough.

It is Wishcasting Wednesday again.  You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog and then add a direct link to your post in the box on Jamie Ridler Studios page. Support wishes by visiting other participants, leaving a comment saying “As (insert name) wishes for her/himself, so I wish for her/him also.” It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together.

Happy BIrthday, Sage

Dear Sage,

Today, you will be wishing on 12 candles,

  plus one for good luck,

and I will be secretly wishing

to turn back time.

Back to the days of lullabies and patty cake,

finger painting and bubble blowing,

curls piled high on your head,

pink, poofy, princess wear

simple days at the park,

and cozy nights in bed.

You still haven’t lost your skip.
 I wonder
when do we?

They all told me,

“don’t blink,”

“time flies,”

“enjoy every minute.”

I didn’t really believe them.

Now, I understand and tell others the same. 

Don’t blink. Time Flies, Enjoy every minute.

I secretly wish I could turn back the clock.  

Back to when life was simple,

when I was more sure,

when decision were easier.

I want to keep you

curious, creative, uninhibited, confident, and kind.

It has always been your light

that warms my heart, allowing it to stay wide open.

Your gentle soul is what has taught me valuable

life lessons.  Knowing how to let go and when to hold on.

The love you share

has shown me
 how to give it back
 without conditions.

And, it’s within your breath I find the stillness

bringing me back to my center.

You’ve always been my little princess,

now you are my amazing rock star.

I am so very proud of you.

So very honored to be your Mom.

Happy Birthday,

Sage

Celebrating my Dad

1990

  Today is my Dad's birthday.

 He would have 77 years old. 

I continue to miss him

 deeply. 

There are so many memories I cherish,

and so much I wish I could have shared with him

 during these past 20 years of my life.

I feel his presence 

watch over me,

 and I know in my heart,

 he has been with me 

during the precious moments

of my life.

photo source

Every year,
on this day,

for the past 20 years,

I write love notes

 on a big, bright, balloon.

I hug it,

let it go,

 sending it off with lots of love

 as I watch it fade and disappear

into to the vastness above.

It continues to heal my heart.

My Daughter shares this ritual

of sending love up to the heavens

to her Papa.

It deeply heals my heart.

Today,

I celebrate my Dad.

Tomorrow, 

I will celebrate my daughter's

 12th birthday.

It will be a day of pure 

JOY.

Note: My daughter started her birthing journey on my Dad's birth day, 12 years ago, today. She shares her birthday tomorrow with my grandmother (Dad's Mom) who is also gone.  The connection of their birthdays fills my heart with JOY. 

Say “YES" to yourself

Poster from Patti Digh’s recent Newsletter

Patti Digh, amazing author and speaker, recently asked in her latest newsletter, “why is it so much easier to say yes to other people than to ourselves?"  Next, she grants us permission to skip over the why, and to proceed directly to the "practice of saying yes to ourselves”. 

Years ago, I engaged in a workshop about self empowerment which initiated a life changing awareness for me when I heard a statement that went something like this;  If you can't say “no", than you really don't know how to say "yes".  That statement made such a huge impression on me and continues to remind me of the importance of being  grounded in my power, allowing me to know how to really say “YES”.  More imporantly, it has taught me how to say “no” without having to make excuses or feel I have to explain myself. 

I was at a women's gathering recently where the speaker's message was, "No more excuses",  I loved how she gave examples on how we can graciously say “no" to others, and “yes" to ourselves.  A few of her examples went something like this:

I am so honored that you have thought of me to volunteer my time to offer workshops for your organization, however, I am not available to help.  Your organization has such a great following, I’m sure you will find someone who is available to volunteer.

Thank you for thinking of me to help stuff 1000 envelopes for your next charity drive, unfortunately, my schedule is full at this time,  I know your organization does amazing things for so many people, and I am sure you will find someone else who is available to help.

So, you see the speaker’s formula.  Express appreciation.  Say no.  Conclude with a positive statement.   It’s that easy.

I can still remember the excitement bubbling up in my body when the speaker offered that formula.  It felt so freeing, so empowering.  I was actually looking forward to my next opportunity to design my own amazing sentence that would set me free and allow me to be loyal to myself.

Oh, it feels to good to genuinely say "NO" without feeling the need to make excuses.  It opens space for us, without room for guilt.   

Patti invites us to say, “yes" to ourselves for 37 days.  “ See what if feels like to honor yourself, your energy, your need for space and quiet, and whatever you long for.  Practice saying "no" without apology in order to say "yes" with great enthusiasm to yourself." 

What are you going to create for yourself today, by saying, "yes" to you?

Read more about Patti Digh and why she chose 37 days.

The Bliss List

We always find bits of bliss on the streets of Portland, Maine

 when we visit in the summer

After hanging out over at  Liv Lane's Little Bliss List the past few fridays, I finally decided to dive in and be a part of the party.   Every Friday Liv offers a place to share our favorite things of the week.  Things that we are grateful for and that have brought us bits and pieces of bliss and magic.  

So here is a glimpse of my Blissful week.

• I am so excited to be writing a book with my daughter for teenage girls.  It is an exiting and creative process for the two of us to share.  I will let you know more about the details as it progresses.

• After reviewing the lab results of my hormone panel, my holistic doc and I put together a program to get my body back into balance (my word for the year). The thought of my body being in balance is so soothing and calming, and a bit exciting. 

• So glad my daughter and I chose NOT to attend the meet and greet at the mall to see the actors from the movie the Hunger Games along with 3,000 screaming fans.

• Instead, we enjoyed family time at the Purim Spiel at our Temple.

• I am so grateful for all the women who have recently entered my life and for all the friendships I continue to encounter.

• I am loving all the creative ideas and visions that have been dancing around in my head.

• Loved the long walks with our dog in the 65 degree weather here in Chicago.  The days were filled with swirling breezes and lemonade flavored sunshine.

• I'm beaming with joy knowing that I will be getting my hair cut this afternoon.

Just looking at the picture brings me bliss.

So, come on over and 

join Liv’s Bliss party, 

and tell me what filled you

 with Bliss this week.

You can also share

your bliss here, too.