Chasing the moon

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I chased you

as you made your grand entrance

into the night 

hiding behind the houses 

and peaking through

 the silhouettes of the trees.

I chased you last night 

wanting to be covered 

in your glorious glittery glow, 

to feel your luminous warmth 

embrace me,

 to hold me ~ together.

Yet,

 you produce no light of your own, 

instead

you are reliant upon the sun's light

 to reflect your image 

into my earthly eyes. 

 You are always in balance.

There was a time when we ran together, 

our cycles mirrored each other,

 so predictable, 

you and I. 

 Your energy filled me up

  like a red rose

 bursting open 

and filling the air with pollen.

Each month 

you tugged at the ebb and flow

 of my soul

 as it emptied with anticipation

 for what may be.

It is because of you

these words

pour out from me

as they splatter onto the paper.

You pull so strong 

on the waves of my emotions, 

 as I pause 

deeper and deeper into my being, 

 transitioning into what will be,

 the waves become calmer 

and I become more and more dehydrated.

Each dark phase continues

 to renew me

 and brings fresh beginnings

 and permission to start again, 

to begin

 like never before.

I chased you last night 

as the rhythm of your soul pulled me 

back and forth and back again.

Like a lullaby,

your whispers seeped in through my windows,

and illuminated my dreams.

letting go

“People hold on to their clutter because they are afraid to let it go ~~ afraid of the emotions they may experience in the process of sorting thorough the stuff, afraid they will make a mistake and later regret getting rid of something, afraid they will leave themselves vulnerable, exposed or at risk in some way.  Clutter clearing can bring up a lot of “stuff” to be faced and dealt with, and intuitively everybody knows it.

The process of clearing clutter is all about letting go.  Not just letting go of your belongings ~~ that is only the end result.  The most important thing is learning to let go of the fear that keeps you holding on to them after it is time to move them on their way.”   CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER WITH FENG SHUI,  By  Karen Kinston

photo credit 

I have a huge secret I’m ready to share with you. So, please be gentle with me as you read this. I’ve keep it closed up tight for years.  Those who have been in my home know it exists.  I don’t talk about it. It’s a closed subject.  In fact, the secret lies behind a closed door.  

Some of you may have a drawer, a shelf, or a closet that has been collecting clutter.   I have a whole room. You read it right.  A room ~~ 4 walls, 2 windows, a closet and a door ~~ that has been closed for almost 11 years.  I’ll confess even deeper by telling you that I removed the door knob to keep my secret shut tight and to avoid any trespassers. 

Before I became a mom I worked full time and the room was a very productive place.  It was my home office.  It was organized and functional.  Over the years, it became a container for things that did not have an assigned place in my home, for things that got in the way when people visited, for things that I simply did not know what to do with.

This room holds a lot of shame for me.  Not because of anything that has happened in it, more so, for what has not happen;  the family photos and handwritten notes that never made their way into the plastic covered scrapbooks, the gifts that were bought and never sent, the cards that were written and never mailed, the clothes that were not worn, and fabric that never made it’s way to the sewing machine.

I recently navigated through the layers of this archeological dig, and dusted off projects that will never be completed, gifts I received that never sang to my heart, and things that were bought because they were a great bargain.  I am thrilled to report that the "stuff" has been donated, recycled or tossed to the curb.

As I continued to excavate the memories that have been held captive within the cobwebs of those 4 walls, I realized that some are too heavy to let go. Like the subtle, yet so familiar cologne that lingers on the shirt my dad wore to his last visit to the hospital 19 years ago.  It still occupies a corner of the closet with the stale packet of gum in the front pocket.

It’s been a huge process of going through the layers and unraveling wounds from the past as well as dusting off treasures for the future.  

Clutter holds a negative energetic pull that keeps us stuck.  It is so obvious to me that when my home is cluttered and untidy, so is my mind.  This is when the creative blocks surface, making me feel stuck and blocked.

Love and fear cannot exist in the same space, everything that I am holding onto through fear is blocking me from having more love, more creativity and more space in my life.  Fear stops us from being who we truly are, and from doing what we are meant to do.

When we are able to resolve our clutter issues, we are able to discover parts of our self that got buried underneath it all. The rewards for clearing the clutter are abundant. 

Lately, I have a lot of clarity about my life purpose and I know that by clearing the clutter, and releasing the fear, it allows me to get closer and closer to my true self.  

Kingston tells us, “Letting go of clutter leaves you free to be you, which is the greatest gift you can ever give yourself”.

So, my friend, I invite you to let go of something you have been holding onto.  Trust me, it is the greatest gift you can give yourself.

Time flies ~ embrace it

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“Where has the time gone? … Time just flies on by ….  I can’t believe another year has come and gone. ..  Time just got away from me."

        

If you’re like me, you may have said or thought these statements at some point.  You may even say or think them frequently.

        

The truth is, time is flying by, yet we are the pilots.  We navigate.  We have control over what we choose to do, or not do. 

        

At times, we allow ourselves to get so busy and overwhelmed.  We fill up, we speed up, and rarely hear the quiet whispers of what really matters.  

        

When we can really identify our priorities and what’s important in our lives, we can then allow ourselves to say “no” to what gets in our way, so that we can move towards what brings us joy, contentment and satisfaction.

        

 I first heard the following statement in a workshop over 20 years ago.  It goes like this.  “If you cannot say “NO” ~~ you truly do not know how to say “YES”.  These words still give me the chills.

        

Isn't it amazing that "No", one of the simplest and shortest words in our language is one of the most difficult words to say. 

        

When we learn to eliminate the unwanted stuff, people, places, and things from our lives, we can then decide what we want to make room for.  When we can identify and embrace our priorities and focus on what we want more of, we then feel more justified saying “no”, in order to pursue our dreams and goals.

       

Cheryl Richardson reminds us that learning to say no with grace and love is the key to protect our gift of time.  If saying “no” is difficult for you, here are 3 helpful tips she recommends:

1.       Your self care is always a valid excuse

2.     You don’t need to explain or defend your actions.  Just tell the simple truth.

3.     Doing things out of guilt and obligation is not doing things out of love.

    

As I sit here and write this post,  I am aware that another month is coming to an end and the start of the new month presents us with new intentions, new beginnings, and new possibilities.

I invite you to take some time today and ask yourself…

What would my life be like if there really were enough hours in each day?

What needs my attention the most at this point in my life?

What do I need to let go of to create more time?

It’s all about the hair ... or is it?

Javier Aranda hair and make-up design

There is so much I can share with you today.  I can write about my recent wheat elimination, the workshops I am facilitating, the amazing people I am attracting into my life, and all the creativity that’s blooming around here.  Instead, I chose to write about my daughter’s recent haircut.

She knew exactly what she wanted.  She had the picture in her hand to show the hairdresser (not the one shown here) and was already feeling just how amazing her new “look” was going to be.  

Instead, there were tears, stomping, text messages to friends (asking for sympathy), and more tears.

We’ve all been there, especially us gals.  Our hair is so much a part of our identity; it’s an extension of who we are and how we want to be seen. Some of us choose to show our authenticity by revealing our shades of grey, while others embellish with colors of the rainbow, tinsel, extensions, and feathers to show who we really are (or want to be).

So, back to my daughter’s tears, the agony she put my husband and me though over the weekend, and her disappointment of having to go to school today with the bangs she does not want.  The bangs that she did want are the ones that hang over to one side and cover one eye.  The truth is, her bangs looks nice.  Actually, I think they look great (when she leaves them alone).  They are not botched up, cut too short or uneven.  She got a good haircut.   


The real issue is, they are not what she visualized for herself.

For my daughter, the issue is all about the bangs.  It’s about her identity.  It’s about how she wants to be seen. 

For me, the issue has very little to do with her bangs.  For me, it’s all about her feelings.  Am I giving her enough space to feel what she needs to feel?  Do I stop telling her how great they look and empathize more?  I know I’ve been present for her.  I’ve listened to her, cuddled with her, and blown and flat ironed the bangs out several times over the weekend.  So, how much time do I allow her to grieve before I tell her to SNAP OUT OF IT?   Really ...  I’m almost there.

The one thing that I do know for sure is that I am glad I resisted putting the “for a special occasion hostess treat” in her lunch box, to help make her feel better, today.  I know she will feel better in her own sweet time.  Hopefully, it will be before the bangs fully grow out.

Evolve

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As the leaf

has let go,

and evolved

I  choose

to

Let go

of how

of where

of why
of what

I believe

To

Let go

of the weight

that holds

me

back

To

Let go

of the story

that never ends

Knowing

 if I continue

to focus

as I have been,

and to believe

how I have been,

then nothing

 in my experience

 will change.

She set her self free

 She kept her words

bottled up

like the butterfly

in the glass jar

with the lid

gripping the mouth

so tight

 nothing could

get in or out

not a whisper 

or a drop

 of air.

Until one day

she took a breath

so deep

 it found

its way

into her heart

where she discovered

the words

to set her self free.

What Path Do You Want to Follow?

Jamie Ridler's Wishcrafting Wednesday: “What Path Do You Want to Follow?" resonates with me on a very deep level. 

The answer to the prompt,  "What path do you want to follow?" became clear to me about a year ago, when I was gifted a painting of this beautiful Mandela for my 50th birthday from my very creative and inspiring sister-in-love, Yvonna Rainbow.   Yes, it all became clearer to me when I gazed into this beautiful painting and the words that surround it.

Painting by Yvonna Rainbow Teplitsky

The Path is Made Clear to me 

as I Walk in the Direction of My Dreams

There is an abundance of time and opportunity for creative expression in whatever area I choose.

I am discovering talents I did not know I had.

 I feel good expressing myself in all sort of creative ways.

My talents are in demand and my uniques gifts are appreciated and supported by people I know, and by those whom I have not yet met.

 I am being sought out by those who are near and far.

There are people looking for exactly what I have to offer, and we are being brought together on the checkerboard of Life.

The doors are wide open and I am in constant bloom.

Yes, for me, the path is clear when I am following my dreams of a creatively inspired life.

What Path Do You Want to Follow?

Embrace your Wild Women

There is a wild women in all of us.  Sometimes we don’t allow her to be seen, or heard, we keep her quiet and small.  Yet, she is in all of us, yearning to be celebrated and expressed!

Today, I was delighted to see this beautiful poster from Bliss Chick.  

Serious, this inspiring and magnificent poster is yours, for FREE, from the talented BlissChick.   She wrote this inspiring manifesto and Heidi from Daisybones created the visuals.

So, print it and hang it where you can see it everyday.  It’s your gift to remind you of how big you can dream, how far you can go, and how amamzing you already are.

Feel free to up load it on your blog or website or print out a bunch and leave them in random places to be found!  How fun would that be?  So, spread the word and share the gift of the Wild Women.

Have an inspiring and wild day!

head up in the clouds

In between 

the laundry

the phone calls

the dishes

the gathering

the tiding

the cooking

and the lists 

I surrender

to the rocker

outside 

in the yard 

and gaze 

up 

at the clouds 

as they float 

above

and slowly

became

a bird that flies 

past the sea horse 
that 

dances

above the

the laughing 

dinosaur face

as it smiles at 

an angel

while she

flutters her wings

and spreads

love 

all 

around

what can 
you create

when you 

have your head 

up the in clouds?

I do not have to...

Some of us are obsessed with making lists, and some of us tend to avoid them.  Lists can help us feel more organized and productive, and at other times, they can make us feel defeated and overwhelmed. They can provide us with a sense of self-worth or can they can lower our self-esteem.   Some of us even create items on our lists (even after we have done them) just so that we can cross them off.

Whatever our relation is to making lists, we can create an endless number of "to do" items:

grocery shopping lists

school supplies lists

timelines

list of recommended art supplies

books to read

wish lists

travel packing items

new years resolutions

important telephone numbers

gratitude lists

phone calls to make and to return

daily priorities

pros and cons

25 random things about me

honey do lists

intentions

things to do before I turn (whatever that magic number is)

a how to ~ step by step

blogs to visit

Yes, we all have the desire to accomplish, to organize, to be productive, to acquire, and to succeed.  Most of the lists we create, reflect what we believe, we “have to do”.  But ~  what if, seriously, what if ...  we do not have to?

Today, I invite you to create a “do not have to” list.   I’ll share first.

I do not have to ….

… figure out my past

… always understand what I am feeling

… have just one favorite color

… dive head first into the water

… know what comes next

… smile when I am feeling sad

… be understood by everyone

… explain myself

… finish what I start

… share when I don’t want to

… know all the answers

…  be the best

… say “yes” when I don’t want to

… love my hair ~ everyday

…  feel responsible for how others feel

… apologize when I feel I am not sorry or wrong

Now, it’s your turn. Make your list and see what you 

discover.