Your calling, your vocation, your mission….. so many words for the same thing: the work of your Soul. I call it Right Livelihood. It is something I have struggled with my entire adult life – a nasty tug of war between our “social” (outwardly acceptable) and “essential” (inner wisdom) selves that can leave us depleted, depressed and numb, as a firmly entrenched need for safety repeatedly puts the kabosh on desires for something more fulfilling. There are benefits to growing older: One cares less and...
read moreA few years ago, I would have scoffed at the idea of “Loving Myself.” That has changed. It would seem many of us have bought into the notion that self-loathing is a more socially acceptable way of being in life than loving. In fact “loving oneself” may been seen as a New Agey, woo woo concept. Or, worse yet, narcissistic. (Yeah, you.. You think you’re all that…) Yet, we’ve prefered to buy into the idea that the sole purpose of mirrors (both internal and external) are to pick away at...
read moreFor these past few months I’ve been in hibernation. It seems I hit these spots a couple of times a year: put the breaks on my ATB (Addiction to Busyness), drop out of the limelight, go quiet, go to the library to catch up on all the reading and movies I have missed, and do my own deep work. Coming out of this Fall of hibernation, I emerge with a more profound sense of clarity on my life mission and a stronger conviction in myself (This new website is a reflection of the shift that has happened within me). Now, more than ever, I...
read more“I get by with a little help from my friends.” ~ Paul McCartney On an average day, walking through the hallways of a high school, you would see the following scene: students sitting in tidy rows, at individual desks while a teacher lectures. Some actually taking notes, some chatting, some texting, and others sleeping. Collaboration and cooperation are not visible- they have the potential to create chaos, dissidence, mutiny…. Having taught for 25 years , I am both a product and part of this system that promotes a culture...
read moreBecause in the last 2 days I’ve been told that (1) I look 10 years younger and (2) I look great, I thought I’d let you in on my secrets…. Caveat: I do not rely on make-up for my beauty. My skin is healthy, so it does not require cover up. And, although my skin has changed over time (more sagging, more lines….), I have taken up some habits and made some lifestyle choices in the last few months which seem to have affected my skin’s appearance, Here are five easy tips that can help you discover your beauty...
read moreYou may know the law of physics which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. But, did you know that this law can come into play when you make a decision, commit to goal, or begin to do something new? There is a force within you that pitches a two year-old tantrum and refuses to acquiesce to your new demands: Resistance. This Resistance comes through when you are in the throws of discomfort: not where you’ve been, and not yet where you want to be. It is what in Expressive Arts is...
read moreI have a friend who I wouldn’t describe as completely negative … but she sure does find a lot of excuses for why her life isn’t working out the way she’d like. She says that she got screwed at her job because she had the most experience. She says that she can’t get her business going because she is so busy. She wants to have a boyfriend, yet the moment the guy shows himself to be a sweetie, she does everything to alienate and piss him off. She constantly orchestrates friends to come to her rescue. Being with her...
read more“If you ask me what I’ve come to do, it is this: to live out loud.” – Émile Zola Everything you desire awaits you – but first, you need to make a decision. Making up your mind is not the same as having a wish, dream or setting a goal. Those actually come beforehand – they point to the destination. A decision is a solemn promise to do what it takes to make it happen. And, although many use the tool of Affirmation to get them in the car, it is the tool of Declaration that is the key. The...
read moreI’m sitting at my desk, amidst stacks of paper, business cards, pens, notebooks, electronic devices and cables, and other detritus, stunned, into inaction. Might as well blog. I have been a champion follow-through-er in the parts of my life for which I feel passion. Compelled by the drive to have them take center stage in my life and to prove my abilities, I have been a model of perseverance and discipline. No matter that sometimes I’d spend hours or days fully immersed at some project while balancing full-time employment,...
read moreHere are some simple snack-sized tips to keep you clean and clear… They take practice but are well worth the effort. It’s no different than going to the gym; you get out what you put in. So get your groove on! STOP, SENSE and SLOW DOWN When you find yourself getting caught up in mind chatter, the moment the awareness creeps in STOP, do a body scan. Which parts of you body are in contact with something else? Sense your feet on the floor, your back on the chair, your elbow on the table, your fingers on the keyboard. ...
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