Living Intentionally

Law of Attraction Cards, by Esther Hicks

In·ten·tion   [in-ten-shuhn]–noun

1. A plan of action.  2. An aim that guides to intention.  3. An act or instance of determining mentally upon some action or result.  
4. Quality of purposefulness.

Setting intentions can pave the path for living a life with purpose.  Many of us choose to set our intentions at the start of a new year, on our birthdays, or during a new moon.  These are all wonderful times to reflect, move forward, and set intentions.

There is no need to wait for the perfect opportunity

to set intentions. 

 The perfect opportunity is

 ~ NOW ~ 

 My Art Journal for writing Intentions

Each and every moment is precious and presents us with the opportunity to live purposefully. In each and every moment, we have the power to choose how we want to be living our lives. 

The older (and wiser) I become, the more aware I am of time; how precious it is, and how fast it can zip right by us.  I want to live my life knowing that I am choosing to live each moment intentionally.  

Living life with purpose can begin with a practice or ritual that defines, acknowledges, and manifests our intentions. Whether it’s lighting a candle each morning and saying an affirmation, meditating, writing from the heart, or creating vision boards.  Now is the time to create the story you want to be telling.

  The one you want to be living. 

My Vision Board for August

I know 

I have the power

 to choose 

who I am with,

 where I go,

 what I say,

 how I feel,

 the story I tell,

and the life I create.

Today, I invite you to reflect on these questions.

How do I want to live this life of mine?  

Who do I want to spend my time with?  

What do I want to be doing? 

How do I want to feel?

As you move closer and closer

 to visualizing and feeling the life you want to live,  

ask your self…

What do I need to change, transform or shift 

in order to experience 

what I want?   

Be patient my friend, the answers or messages are waiting for you.

Close your eyes.

Quiet your mind.

Take a deep breath.

Do you hear them? 

Can you feel them?  

When the answers are clear, write a list of your intentions. 

Make them beautiful, bold, fearless, abundant, joyful, and loving.

I’ll go first, come on and join me.

~~  Seek balance.

~~  Choose with confidence and no regrets.

~~  Strive to create organization, less clutter, and simplify.

~~  Make healthy food choices and listen to my body.

~~  Explore, develop and share my creative energies.

~~  Remember to stop and take deep breaths throughout the day.

~~  Tell others what I want rather than waiting for them to guess.

~~  Honor all compliments. 

~~  Talk about my dreams as if they are already happening. 

~~  Be with people who inspire me, and motivate me to grow.

~~  Love deeply.

~~  Invest more time in my relationship with myself.

~~  Know when to let go, and when to hold on.

~~  Listen deeper, pause more, and interrupt less.

~~  Look to my inner self to validate my instincts.

~~  Allow good enough ~ to be enough.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing this journey with me.

As always,

 there is space here

 for you to share.

With Love and Light,

Eydie

A snippet of my summer

Summer plans
My daughter, Sage has life-threatening food allergies and will be attending 4 weeks of sleep-over camp in Maine (approximately 1,500 miles from Chicago) this summer.  I am terrified.  How do I make this happen?

Original Plan

I will stay at our friend’s sleep-over camp for boys (20 minutes down the road from Sage’s camp) and will supervise the art program for the 4 weeks while Sage is at camp.  I’m still not sure what I will do with our dog.

Rationalization of Original Plan

My only motivation for staying at our friends camp 20 minutes from where Sage will be this summer, is to be close by, in case of an emergency (ICE).  It is not my desire to spend my summer at a sleep-over camp for boys.  Besides, what would I do with our dog for 4 weeks?

Re-evaluation of Original Plan

Instead of fearing that an emergency situation may occur, ~~ and needing – wanting – and desiring ~ to be near Sage, I NOW know, that I need to release my fear, and know that the fully professional and trained staff and Sage are fully capable of  managing her food allergies.

New plan

The three of us will drive to Maine, visit friends and family along the way.  After dropping Sage off at camp, Josh and I will vacation our way back home.  Once Josh and I arrive back home, I will be very productive for the next 22 days before I fly out to Maine to get Sage. She and I will then vacation for a few days, before returning home ~ together.

Realization of the new plan

This summer will be an amazing growth opportunity for both Sage and me.  She will be exposed to new adventures, will make new connections and friends, and will have an increased sense of independence and confidence.

I will come to realize,

 Sage will be just fine without me, 

being there to manage her food allergies. 

 I will learn to let go ~~~ and trust the process. 

All is good.

Some back ground information

Recently, a good friend asked me what I feared the most.  I responded quickly and decisively with the answer “heights".

It was actually a very honest, yet safe response.  Even though I fear heights, it’s irrelevant to my day to day adventures; I know I will never climb a tall mountain, go bungee jumping or hang gliding, for that matter.  I can easily manage my fear of heights, and do not need to give it space in my head.  Yes, it was an honest answer.

Later that day, the obvious, most honest, and raw sensation caught me off guard, as my thoughts became paralyzed by the intensity of its reality.

As parents, one of our greatest wishes we have for our children is for their well-being and safety.  We want our children to be protected on the play ground, the school bus, walking home from school, riding their bikes, at the mall, and surfing the net, just to name a few. 

For parents of children with life-threatening food allergies, our fear can be endless and expansive when it comes to the safety of our child.  It never fades, it never disappears, there is always a trace of it.  The fear hovers over us like a dark cloud that doesn’t know how to dissipate.

When your child can die from eating the wrong cookie, licking the wrong ice-cream , or sucking on the wrong candy, there is no safety net.  The dark cloud of fear appears during school activities, sleep overs at a friend’s house or even during an innocent kiss.

My daughter is highly allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, beans, seeds, and shellfish.   These are foods that most people eat every single day without fearing a threat to their lives.

I’m not going to tell you how often the fear lodges so deep in my throat making me unable to swallow the knot.

Instead, I want to tell you that I am learning to “let go” and trust in the process.

I’m not going to tell you how many school field-trips, class parties, PTO functions I’ve chaperoned so that I could shield my daughter from the particles of foods that may come her way and cause her harm.

Instead, I want to tell you that I am learning to “let go” and trust in the process.

I’m not going to tell you that I have been keeping count of the 85 meals she will be eating at camp when I am not there to supervise.  Or counting the hours when they return back to camp from outside activities.

Instead, I want to tell you that I am learning to “let go” and trust in the process.

I’m not going to tell you that instead of preparing talks about “safe sex” issues, I am preparing my daughter to know what to say to the boy who may have eaten a Snicker’s bar before kissing her, so that she can avoid an allergic reaction.

Instead, I want you to know that I am learning to “let go” and trust in the process.

I don’t want to tell you how my fearful thoughts invade my dreams at night, or how the reality creeps into my day as I anticipate news that something horrible may happen.


Instead, I want to tell you that Sage is loving her camp experience. She is becoming more and more empowered, independent, confident, and an awesome advocate for herself while managing her food allergies.

I want you to tell you,

  this summer has been an amazing experience 

and has allowed me to “let go and trust the process”, 

so that my daughter can

 spread her wings even wider

 and soar so much higher.

I head to Maine to this week
 to vacation with my girl for a few days 
before we head back to Chicago.

All things perfect

Strolling in the gardens

with my beautiful friend 

 

as we appreciate

each other

and the vast beauty

surrounding us.

The air

so perfect

more spring-like 

today

than summer-like 

gently

kissing our skin 

as it breezes by

shades of  green,  purple, red, orange and yellow

paint the canvas

as the palate of pigments  

blend into

the  panoramic view

as it awaits us.

Ginko leaves

water lilies 

lotus bliss

smile back at us

as if

we are merely spectators

delighting 

in their innate wisdom

as we become

drunk with inspiration 

opening to their healing

energies

as the birds sing

songs of wisdom

and butterflies dance

in delight.

We ask the buds

“What will become of you?”

as they gently

remind us 

of our uniqueness 

endurance

and beauty

as we unfold 

and emerge

all within perfect time.

What will become of you, my dear friend?

from here to there and back again

Slowly unwinding,

unraveling,

unpacking,

2,800 miles

from here

to there

and back again

ignoring

 scattered laundry
wondering if

it will
 make its way 

to where

it belongs

not thinking

about the mail

that waits

to be opened

noticing

the quiet

as it sets in 

so much

to myself

So much

to show you

So much

to tell you

Thoughts 

new projects

inspired by

crossing the bridges

peaking into back roads

gazing into unknown eyes

smiling back

letting go

trusting

the miles

not sure

where

they will take us

Always

knowing

we will

find our way

back home

again.

a letter to my daughter

5th grade Graduation Party
June 7, 2011

My Dear Sage, 

My wish for you is to know how to always follow your heart and listen to the quiet voice within, and know that your life is filled with possibilities.

 My wish for you is to know how to attract and develop a circle of friends who will fuel your passion, be worthy of your trust, and supportive of your dreams.

My wish for you is to know that it’s not the make-up and/or clothes you choose to wear that makes you who you are. It’s the light that shines through you that reveals your authenticity, What matters, is how you show the world your soul, your spirit, your light, and all the goodness that is within you.

My wish for you is to know that you will always have options ~~ to know that it’s OK to make mistakes ~~ to know there are solutions to every situation.

My wish for you is to know how to have the courage to be vulnerable, and to honor your imperfections.  These traits will cultivate courage, compassion, and connection to others, and will enhance and elevate your sense of” self-worthyness”.

My wish for you is to know how to move away from what does not feel good, and to move towards what brings you JOY.

My wish for you is to be grounded in your power and to know how to say “YES” when you want to and “NO" when you mean to,  ~ and ~ to know that you do not need to explain yourself.

My wish for you is to accept who you are ~ and to never, ever make excuses for your self  ~~ to anyone.

My wish for you is to know that you are unique, caring, expressive, beautiful, grounded, creative, brave, smart. ~~ and so LOVED!

My wish for you is to always know  ~ YOU ARE ENOUGH  ~

We all desire to hear these words,
so please share this letter with
all the beautiful girls in your life.

Thank you for stopping by
 and inspiring me with your loving comments. 

 Much love and Light to all of the beautiful girls and women in our lives. 

 xoxo.

Eydie

strength and flexibility

The wind gently whispers 

as the iris reminds me
 to unfold
 and bloom
 larger than before

while the stillness of the bamboo

anchors me with its

strength and flexibility

Happy Mother’s Day

10 year, 50, year and 70 year  ~Birthday Celebrations ~ 2010

So grateful for all that I’ve shared 

and continue to share with my mom.

She is so special to me, and 

I’m so fortunate to have her in my life.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you beautiful mamas out there.

The gift of another year

My husband gave me this beautiful journal, a year ago today, on my 50th birthday.

When I read the first several pages that were filled with his words, my jaw almost dropped to the floor when I came to the part about his plan to fly me out to Esalen in Big Sur; to attend a workshop, bathe in the hot tubs, eat amazing food, be one with nature, and to reconnect with myself. 

As I read deeper into the journal, becoming more and more touched by my husband’s words, I found a card that he inserted in the journal.

Me and my brother, Pripo, at  Esalen, 2010

It was from my brother (who I adore), explaining that he will be joining me (my husband was to stay home to take care of our daughter) on this amazing adventure.  My heart opened even wider to all the love I was receiving.  What a perfect gift my husband and brother had planned for me as I began to journey into my 50s.

I was exploding with love and anticipation.  I had been to Easlen years ago, when my brother lived there, so I know of the magic and possibilities that grow from the experience of being there.  My excitement elevated and took flight as I continued to read the details. 

View from our workshop

When I found out it was a writing workshop, I was surprised to feel butterflies in my stomach, resistance in my throat, and uncertainty in my head.

It’s my dream to write … to be a writer.  I have so much to write about.

But, the truth is, it scares me.  It’s not so much about exposing my feelings, emotions, dreams, lists, or even my past. For me, the vulnerability, self-doubt and judgment, lack of courage, and apprehension, come not so much from the words on the page, but more so, from what’s in between the words.  

You see, I have an uncertain relationship with commas and semicolons and all those other little dents, dings and slashes on the page.  They can send me into a panic, stiffening and paralyzing my fingers, and tangling my thoughts like spaghetti being twirled up onto a fork.

It’s been a year since my adventure at Easlen (which was amazing). The experience gave me confidence, confirmed my dreams, and  opened up possibilities for me. Since then, I’ve started my blog for friends, family and even for people whom I may never meet, to read. I’ve woven words into my art, and started to write the book that has been floating around in my head for several years.  

It’s my birthday again, today.   Another year of my life will be revealed. 

My big wish for this year is to…

…  rewrite my story by simply releasing outdated and self-limiting patterns and beliefs that no longer serve me.

…  shift my negative beliefs into positive ones; swim out of the shallow, mucky, waters, navigate past the waves of fear and self-doubt, and go deep into the clear sparkles of my authentic self.

…  excavate myself out from being stuck in the observer and judgment mode, take action, and morph into the role of an active participant.

And then, just then, I can unleash myself from whatever inhibits me and soar towards my greatness, towards my light, towards my brilliance. 

My wish is to be as brave as I can be, so that I can soar higher than I’ve ever soared before.

Mystical

    Artwork by my beautiful soul-sister, 

       Julia Fehrenbacher  

“Beginnings”

It’s the mystical time of day

when others are still rolling over

far away in dream land

with hands not ready to dance
with the snooze button.

when voices, beeps, drips, or 

creaking of the house,

are not heard

only the stillness within me is.

when the first bird serenades
me with joy and hope

as the darkness of the sky turns 

into beautiful hues of brilliant blue

 melting onto the sides of the houses

 and into the streets

becoming more and more distilled

 eventually becoming a full palette of color

as the sky cracks open

and illuminates  into a new day.

Write from the Heart

~~ Workshops and Gatherings ~~
retreat, explore, breathe, connect, and be present 

Dear Friends,

Join us for an evening of self-exploration, discovery, and connection. There are a few spaces still available for my workshop, "Write from the Heart” which will take place at "The Present Moment” on Wednesday, April 27th from 7:00-9:00. pm.

'Write from the Heart' 

is an invitation to pause in your life and connect with other women in a safe and intimate space to develop clarity and insight, create abundance and joy, and heighten your sense of what it means to be present.

During this journey of self-discovery, you will be guided through a process of meditation, reflection, the power of the pen, and optional sharing.

Each and every element that makes up your life experience is drawn to you by the thoughts you think and the stories you tell.   You can create positive change in your life by simply recreating “your story”.

Please bring a favorite pen and notebook, a sense of fun and adventure, and willingness to listen to the quiet voice of your heart.  

As you “Write from the Heart”, you may reconnect with a lost part of yourself or a self you have been longing to encounter.

To register, please call

The Present Moment

521 North Milwaukee Avenue  Libertyville, IL
(847) 367-1581

$25.00

I'd be delighted to hear from you regarding questions, workshop locations, inquires about where you can find my art, or just to say Hi.

Feel free to share this with friends whom you think may be interested.

Here's where you can reach me:
Eydie@whatwecreate.net

I look forward to connecting with you.
In JOY and Light,
Eydie