Blessings in the Chaos

Petra Anderson

Petra Anderson was having an evening with girlfriends when she was shot with several bullets in the Aurora, Colorado shooting.  One of those bullets traveled through Petra's brain and stopped at the back of her skull.  The medical professionals expected massive brain injury from such a devastating bullet path through the brain.  When surgeons went in to clean up the damaged brain tissue, they discovered what is now being called a miracle.  Initially sited as a birth defect, Petra has a canal in her brain formed by a fluid pocket.  We have since learned that the fluid pockets are not as rare as it was first reported.  What is exceptional, is that the bullet entered at the exact point of Petra's fluid pocket.  The bullet then traveled along the canal formed by the fluid and left no damage to brain tissue.  Petra is talking, walking and has been released to undergo rehab for other injuries sustained in the attack.  It is as if Petra Anderson was designed to take this bullet to the brain.  Her brain was designed to receive that exact bullet in that exact location.  If she was built to take this bullet, it leaves me wondering,  what "bullet" were you built to live through?  What heartbreak, accident, trauma, hurt, (insert your painful experience here) were YOU built to live to tell about?  YOU have a purpose.  I have a purpose.   You were born to live through it, not with it.  You are not your experiences.  These experiences are a part of your story, they are not all of your story.  Acknowledge the miracles in your life, the ones that have kept you alive, the ones YOU were designed to live through.  Know that if you find yourself in a space in your mind that feels dark, you are not your darkness.  It is simply a reminder of the strength you have to move beyond it.

One Good Decision After Another

My daughter recently asked me to wear a dress.  I tend to wear frumpy shorts and a overly casual t-shirt.  My three-year old LOVES to wear dresses.  She had been asking me for days.  On this particular day, I agreed and found a dress that I felt comfortable in, put it on and wore it for the day.  The question was swirling in my head, "Why don't I choose to do this more often?"  It feels good to wear dresses.  It feels good to look good.  So, what was holding me back?  That morning I made the decision to wear dresses for the entire month of June.  It is now the middle of July and I am proud to report what happened as a result.  After choosing to wear a dress that day, I then made the decision to wear dresses or skies every day for one month.  Which led me to start looking for dresses in thrift stores and at garage sales, something I otherwise don't do for myself.  I'm the kind who is always looking for someone else, or at the very least, something more practical than nice clothes for me!  I could not stop finding nice dresses, skirts and beautiful shirts to match!  I was looking good and feeling sexy, sassy and ALIVE!  That feeling led me to start running in the mornings.  Wow!  What a difference those runs made.  The running did more than make me appreciate the health of my body, it made me think of other ways I could challenge myself.  It made me want to eat healthy.  It supported me to feel more alive!
Can you think of a time in your life when you made one healthy decision that snowballed into other good choices?  What is one good choice that you will make for yourself today?  Share what the results were of your healthy decision making!

Mid-Year Celebrations

Six months ago we were planning ways to welcome the New Year.  Now, we make preparations to celebrate Independence Day.  May this also be a time for you to reflect on all of the wins that you've had this year.  Allow yourself to notice where you have reclaimed your own freedom; disconnecting from the relationship that wasn't serving you, updating your resume to include your new skills, accepting a promotion, new career move, accepting a marraige proposal, announcing the birth of your first child, celebrating the graduation of your first born, celebrating time with family, time with friends, celebrating LIFE!  What things will make your list of celebration?  How are you exercising your own liberation this year?  May this be a time of celebrating all of the ways that you are stepping more fully into the freedom that comes from being ALIVE with JOY!

Weather: Beyond the Predictions

When I am planning an outdoor activity, I find myself tuning into the weather forecast.  Recently, the meteorologist predicted heavy storms for "most of the day".  When I woke, there were clouds, but no sign of a storm.  I went about my day as if I hadn't heard the prediction.  The storm never came.  I enjoyed the outdoors for the entire day.  It made me wonder, how many times do I limit my activity because of what might happen?  Sure, there are times when the prediction is correct.  There are also times when it is far from accurate, yet I've already made a choice based on the fear of what might be.  This is an opportunity for me to let go of the fear, go with the flow, and trust my own intuition.  I release the need for outside influences to determine my next move and instead allow outside influences to support me to make the decision that is best for me.  Rain or shine, all will be fine, so long as I let go of my own fears and expectations.  In fact, sometimes the rain can be more enjoyable and exciting than the heat of the sun.  Here's to living fully, in the moment and releasing the chatter that might hold us back.

Take My Advice, I'm Not Using It

I recently found myself faced with several professionals who appeared to be unable to follow their own advice.  Have you ever come across this?  As I sat observing, it dawned on me, what advice am I giving that I am not following?  My advice for others, that has all along been for me, listen.  Take time to listen to the inner voice.  Take time to unplug from the screen time, take time for reflection.  I support my clients to listen to the voice within.  The voice that may seem small and quiet, the voice that grows stronger when given attention.  The voice that becomes a brick up side the head when being ignored. What can you do to support time for yourself, to eliminate the outside chatter so that you can plug into what your inner voice is calling you to attend to?  I can already hear the excuse, "I don't have time!"  The reality is, we all have the same 24 hours in a day.  Maybe you choose to start taking the bus, so that you can have some unplugged, down time.  Maybe you go to bed early, so that you can wake up and allow yourself a few moments.  I hold the vision with you that time presents itself and you feel the deep connection to the voice that is calling out for your attention.  And, even if specific time does not happen, listen to how the voice speaks to you at other times, like when you have advice for someone else, advice that could in fact be, for you.

Beyond Excuses; Creating the Life You Desire

Have you ever caught someone saying that they want something, only to follow with a reason why they cannot receive that which they desire?  "I really want to change my job/life/relationship, but I cannot because of (insert excuse).  Have you ever offered to fix someone's excuse, believing the truth in it, only to realize that the excuse offered was just that, an excuse to get out doing the work required to change it?  Can you think of a time when you were good at making excuses?  What are your greatest and most dominant excuses?  I have a list of them myself.  I catch myself saying, "I am a stay-at-home-mom. I cannot make time for myself.  I don't have the luxury of giving to myself, my business, my needs."  The only truth in that statement is, "I am a stay-at-home-mom."  We all have the same 24 hours in a day.  We each make choices about how we choose to spend the valuable resource of our time and money.  I am in the business of being with individuals as they bring about powerful and lasting change in life.  I get to be with clients as they move through the space of resistance.

What stops us from making big changes?  What keeps me making excuses?  The same things that keep you from making changes;

1. Dissuasion.  I tell myself that life is fine the way that it is, I don't really need to be doing anything differently.  Asking for more is greedy.  There are a number of things I tell myself that lead me away from seeking what it is that I deeply desire.  What do you find yourself saying when you know that a change is calling?
2. Distraction.  I could have a master's degree in distraction.  There are times when I can be in the flow of change and suddenly I'll find myself being attracted to the drama of life.  Other common distractions:  "I'll put myself on the dating market as soon as I lose weight."  "I'll invest in myself as soon as I get the raise that I've been wanting."   What is it that you tell yourself when you are on the way to creating positive change for  yourself?
3.  Fear.  Fear is the last ditch effort I make to self sabotage when moving toward change.  Fear can take over as I listen to the little voice inside screaming at me, "Who do you think you are?  Do you really think this change will amount to anything?  Do you really think you'll be able to pull that off?  Give it up, you can't make this last."  What is your fear yelling at you?  When have you noticed fear keeping you from moving toward the life of your dreams?

The dissuasion, distraction and fear are not the truth of who you are and what life has in store for you.  As you calm the voices of dissuasion, distraction and fear, you will come out of this space stronger, more confident and feeling more connected to your authentic power.

So how do you do it? Be gentle with yourself.  Be observer.  Simply notice and give attention to the voice within.  When you notice the voice, where you are in your process, you allow yourself the gift of creating clarity.  With that clarity and new awareness, you now have the ability to choose.  You can choose your thought and your actions.  What is next?  What will support you to move through it?  Contact a friend, ask for support, JUST DO IT!  You already know the results of NOT doing it.  Allow yourself the gift of receiving the benefits of breaking through the barrier of fear, distraction and dissuasion.


                                       

The Success of Stumbling

My youngest daughter started walking recently.  Watching her progress from standing to taking a step, to taking multiple steps and now walking with greater confidence has reminded me of the amazing ability we have to get back up and keep trying!  I cannot count the number of times I've watched her fall on her face or onto her diaper padded bottom, only to see her put her hands out in front of her and push herself up again to keep practicing her new skill. Growing pains are aptly named.  They are uncomfortable.  You may have noticed that your growth doesn't feel so great at times.  GOOD!  This is exactly what you are meant to be experiencing.  This means that growth is on your horizon.  Keep it up!  Keep moving, breathing, waking up and working through this space of change, as it is leading you to the next level of success!  Feeling scared of that next job opportunity?  Feeling uncertain about your next project?  Feeling uneasy about what will happen next, and how will it all work out?  These can be the questions that come up when we are ready to experience something transformative.  If this space is causing you anxiety, stress, and discomfort, allow yourself to listen to what you are experiencing.  Allow it to support you to what awaits you; new opportunity, new possibility, new growth, new habits, new skills.   May you recognize that those baby steps are a necessary part of the journey to reach the peak of the mountain.  AND, I wouldn't expect my daughter to climb a mountain or run a marathon with her newfound skill of walking.  This is a space to be gentle with yourself.  Practice baby steps.  Allow room for yourself to stumble.  Know that you always have the option to remain at the stage that you are currently experiencing, just as you have the choice to pick up and keep pushing to the next level of success.  The choice is yours.  Will you remain where you are or will you remember the skill you have to keep trying?