Fumbling towards inner peace

Filed Under Authenticity, Coming out of hiding, Freedom Challenge, Stretching the comfort zone | Leave a Comment

I found this blog with poetry about love, inner peace, broken hearts…   The author's name wasn't apparent, unfortunately.  Here's a snippet: 

Looking deep within to find that place of peace
Opening up your heart to expose nothing but the truth
Vulnerable feelings flow as you find out more and more
Every day a challenge as another layer removed

Yes, isn't inner peace about love?  Loving yourself.  Coming to grips with who you are…warts and all. Finding out more and more…going back to some of the forgotten and buried places and giving them a good cleaning.  Letting the shame and/or judgments be washed away.  At least that's how it's working for me.  I've finally finished a teacher's internship program and realize there's still a hesitation about going out and being seen.  A mentor has been mentioning for some time that I've some issues around fear hindering my stepping out.  I haven't wanted to "go there."  And now, it may be time.  One of the first "reasons" I face when looking at why I hide:  I do try to be a good person, but I've done a number of things I'm sooo not proud of.  The "really awful ones" were a long time ago, they're over and done with.  Except in my mind and in those places I've allowed shame and judgments about them to fester.  No inner peace is gonna grow in that environment!  Phewww!  Bit by bit, though, letting fresh air and healing energy, love, acceptance in - then that peace, and joy, and love can take root and grow.  

I may not ever LIKE some of my past actions, but the idea that I can let go of the shame and judgments?  Yes, that's a distinct possibility.  Another way of being set free.  Free at last, free at last.  Thank God Almighty, free at last.   I'm imagining I'm hearing Martin Luther King, Jr. speak those words.  Was he the one who spoke them so eloquently?   I've so appreciated hearing about him the last few days.  He is one of those who makes me want to play a bigger "game" than the one I am comfortable with…  May we all take greater stands for what is right, and just, and healthy, and holy and whole.

What is calling you out of hiding?

Filed Under Authenticity, Coming out of hiding, Embracing uncertainty, Freedom Challenge, Gratitude, Joyous Living, Sparkle | 1 Comment

As a part of starting a new year, I am in the process of changing many things. Over the last year, I’ve recognized that my work has been changing, taking on a slightly different theme from the one I’d originally started with. I noticed I hadn’t been using my old cards for some time because they no longer “felt right.” So, several months ago, I began working with a long-term friend of mine, Billy Hill , to remodel my logo. “Have you put it on anything besides stationery?” asked Kathy Mallary , somewhat bewildered by my “hiding out.” “Does it have some significance for you? Does it express you and your work is some meaningful way? If so, then let people know about it!” she said. So, here is my remodeled logo - which has tremendous significance for me! The dancer element was the one piece I didn’t want to lose, for a variety of reasons. First of all, even though I’ve not been trained as a dancer, my soul dances all the time, so a logo that expresses me and my work, would naturally include a dancer. This dancer, in particular, leaps with joy and abandon. Secondly, the body of the dancer is made up of a “J” (for Joyous) and an “L” (for Life) - for Joyous LifeWorks. The circle is significant, to me, because it represents being able to come out of one’s shell…sensing the opening and leaping for it…undaunted, and with joy!

Coming out of hiding, coming out from a shell. Exciting, invigorating, a little scary…just because it’s new. Does every new year hold this much hope? Probably, although, maybe because I am getting older, I’m wanting to make “sure” I live my life full out, so each day seems to hold more opportunity - or at least more opportunity that I’m willing to reach for.

Inquiry

What are you hoping to leap for this year? What is calling you out of “hiding?”

Living a full life

Filed Under Authenticity, Embracing uncertainty, Freedom Challenge, Gratitude, Joyous Living, Setbacks as opportunities, Sparkle, Stretching the comfort zone | Leave a Comment

Over the last six months, three of my dear friends have lost their spouses.  Each time, I've been shaken by it, but I guess this third one has felt like a real wake up call.  All the cliches apply:  Life is short; Life is precious; Don't take life for granted; etc.  I want to throw everything that does not matter aside and give my passion and purpose free reign.  How else will I manage to keep finding new levels of inner peace?  Each time I squelch a part of myself that exudes joy, I can feel a bit of my soul shriveling up.  I don't want to die an unlived life!!  I pray that I can keep tapping into this passionate part of myself and help others to do the same, so that our world thrives on the best of ourselves rather than the fear that seems to be running rampant.

Doing what you’re born to do

Filed Under Authenticity, Embracing uncertainty, Freedom Challenge, Gratitude, Joyous Living, Setbacks as opportunities, Sparkle, Stretching the comfort zone | Leave a Comment

Yesterday, I received a "you've got to see this" email from a friend.  She was absolutely right, even though at first glance, I was thinking "Oh, brother!  What is THIS?"   

Here is the link to an amazing video:

http://www.maniacworld.com/Phone-Salesman-Amazes-Crowd.html 

I'm not an opera fan and I don't have much appreciation for these talent shows, but I was so inspired by is this young man's talent (of course…he's THAT good), by some of the things he said (for example, that his singing has always been "his friend"), and that he followed his guidance to do what he knew he was meant to do.   

In the video I saw a seemingly ordinary young man blossom as he stepped in to his knowing of who he is, of what he carries, of his unique gift.  He is doing what he loves to do.  Although we may not have this particular talent, each of us does have some rare or precious gift…and the clue as to what it is will be in what we love - or what we've considered "our friend" throughout life's tough times.  I am so inspired by this "lumpy" young man having the audacity to say, "I sing opera" despite the disdainful looks of the judges.  YES!

This is what I'd like to do - to say "Yes!" to my gifts and to help others say "Yes!" to theirs.  To learn to be audacious enough to say, this is my gift, this is what I love to do!  As I'd mentioned to a friend a while ago, to be able to say, "Yes, I'm weird.  Isn't it wonderful?!!"  What freedom there is in that!  Here is a path to inner peace - to be free to be ourselves, fully, completely, audaciously! 

Where’s my focus?

Filed Under Freedom Challenge, Gratitude, Joyous Living, Sparkle | 2 Comments

I've been fortunate enough to get to spend the last week with my son, Tre, and his family…wife Shelly, 4 year old Serenity, and 2 year old Connor.  Being around the little ones, especially, has been such a treat, reminding me of the joy and enthusiasm I want to continue to maintain.  They are bundles of energy - and such a kick to watch and be with.  At times, though, their energy exhausts me and I start to feel OLD.  But I do know enough about tools for living a joyous life to know that focusing on what doesn't feel great isn't going to do me a whole bunch of good.  Much better to focus on the joy of hanging out with perfect models of unabashed joie d' vivre!  Besides, I really do feel fabulous and am sharing that in a Remember  Your Sparkle teleclass at the end of October http://www.joyouslifeworks.com/courses_teleclasses.htm.

In some way, Divine Inspiration, added to my sense of the rightness of "staying young" in a teleconference I was privileged to be a part of with Jeanna Gabellini and Eva Gregory (www.abundanceabounds.com ) about focusing on what you want and in a post by my dear friend, Adam Kayce (monkatwork.com ) about Joy.  Sure, feeling old is going to happen when you're 50-plus hanging out with a two-year-old, but why dwell on THAT, when I can be inspired by this little gift from God and focus on how big my heart feels when I'm with him?

Are there areas of your life you know you want to be changing the focus on?  What's your "focus dial" dialed to?  Something you want or something you don't?   

Flaunting quirks

Filed Under Freedom Challenge, Gratitude, Sparkle, Stretching the comfort zone | 1 Comment

There really is something to be said for getting older!  For most of my 50+ years, I've tried to hide just how quirky I am and have been pretty much miserable.  Quirks, in my terminology, are those behaviors that may seem "out of the mainstream" but are somewhat precious to you, and are really a part of who you are.  Turning 50 has set me free to at least dabble in letting my little oddities out.  And, it's so much more fun!  I hope to be a role model for my clients and friends and family - especially my granddaughter!  If she can experience loving who she is at a much younger age, I would be thrilled beyond measure!

Why not skip?  Why not play the kazoo - even on my voicemail?  Yes, I want to be seen as professional, but my dream is that everyone steps more into who they are and, like it or not, I love playing the kazoo.  (I am transported to being about five years old and loving being me).  So far, the kazooing hasn't seemed to offend anyone's sensibilities.  And God love 'em if it does!  I wanna live with the same joie d' vivre I had at five!  I wanna sparkle!  I wanna see everybody sparkle!!
What kinds of things bring out your sparkle?

Go ahead and sparkle

Filed Under Freedom Challenge, Gratitude, Sparkle | 3 Comments

Why not?  What have we got to lose?  I think this, too, is part of my Freedom Challenge- to go ahead and sparkle, be feisty!  Why not go ahead and sparkle?  

I've a class coming up - Reawakening Your Inner Sparkle.  For some reason, I've not shared it with as many people as I would have thought I would.  Did I think I'd look "weird"?  I wish I'd remembered about "Yeah, I am weird.  Isn't it wonderful?"   So for the next few days, I'm just wanting to remind people of their sparkle.  Now that should be fun!  (Fredi, can you believe I'm using that word?")
Hmm.  Maybe using pent-up anger as a tool this week helped pave the way for opening up - saying yes to the idea of reawakening, reviving, replenishing the part of me that says yes to life - to sparkle.  I love that place that says yes to sparkling aliveness.  Like little kids, filled with joy and authenticity.
Sending out many sparkles!

Pent-up anger vs. inner peace

Filed Under Freedom Challenge, Stretching the comfort zone | 3 Comments

Over the last several months, I've been hearing myself, my friends, and my clients speak about freedom…freedom from limiting thoughts and behaviors, freedom to be more of who we want to be.  For me, my exploration of the theme of freedom has led to my own desire to let loose a little more, to rekindle my heart's sparkle, to become rejuvenated, revitalized, re-enthused.  That's likely what started the thought of having a Freedom Challenge.  Challenging myself to stretch my comfort zone  bit by bit isn't easy - if it were easy and safe and comfy, gosh, I would have done it long ago!  

So this week I've stretched my comfort zone several times, been scared, been angry, wanted to burrow into a safe, comfy spot.  My dear friend, Neysa, upon hearing about my anger teased that the "Inner Peace Activist" wouldn't have any entries if I was experiencing that much anger.  Ahh, but that is part of my freedom - and inner peace - to allow myself to experience all that pent up anger as being okay.  Not comfortable, but okay.  A deep breath.  A sense of freedom.