Today I give myself away. I am here to serve with love, kindness and compassion. This has nothing to do with kind of job I’m in or whether or not I think it is “deserved.” It has everything to do with “because this is the kind of person I want to be.” I remember to shower love, kindness and compassion on myself, too. This will never deplete me because giving and receiving are connected. I allow myself to fully receive from the Uni-verse, from others and from myself...and I am filled up. Today is a good day...and I make it so!
1/31/20
Recently I shared with a coaching client that he was the expert on himself (not me) and I was simply there to remind him of what he already knew. He laughed and shared the story of Ram Dass who told his audience, “You already have everything you need within you but you seem to want to hear my words so I’ll speak...” Yes, I love that! My client and I continued the discussion about how some teachers make it seem like they have all the answers and, furthermore, the answers they found were achieved easily. I’m telling you that everyone has struggled, has had dark nights of the soul, has had doubts and negative thoughts about themselves. People are often amazed when I tell them I still have many doubts and am not always so confident about sharing my gifts. That’s when I ask for help; I ask my good friends and support team to remind me of my bigness, to remind me that I am whole however I show up and that within me is everything I need to achieve my greatness and everyday wholeness. Then I can remember for myself that even my doubts are part of my wholeness. Ah, life is good!
1/30/20
I believe that each one of us, no matter our circumstances, can make a difference by being mindful to where we are in our consciousness. When we have positive thoughts, we feel positive. When we choose to be positive, we can lift ourselves up in difficult circumstance; when we are feeling positively, we can share loving and peaceful energy with the people we come into contact with in our daily lives and we can send positive energy out into the world. That may not seem like you’re doing anything useful, but I believe it’s one of the most powerful things you can do. It makes a difference to the world collectively and individually. The 100th monkey principle says that my energy added to yours and yours and yours changes actions. I know that that’s what was the tipping point for the Berlin Wall coming down, peacefully, and so many other positive world events. When you share love with someone, it certainly makes a difference to that one person, check out “the starfish story.” And it definitely makes a difference to us. When we connect to our heart’s joy, we remember what’s important and not only does it help to give us a different perspective but that joy allows us resilience to go on when things feel tough.
Things have been tough around here lately with lots of time and energy devoted to my husband, Stew’s 88-year-old mom, who just broke her hip and wasn’t recovering so well or so quickly. Everyday wholeness, no matter what else is going on, is also about self-care. Yesterday I came home close to sunset. It was kinda late for a ski, and not the best conditions, and I was pretty tired already, but you know what, it was probably one of the best skis. It was only a ½ hour, I didn’t go all out, but I sure enjoyed it, as I breathed in the beauty all around me, connected gently to the beauty within me, and was grateful for my life. I’m ready for tomorrow! Don’t forget yourself as you care for others and carry the world on your shoulders.
1/27/20
Today I forgive myself - which means I shower myself with love and compassion - for all my mistakes and the fears, doubts, and unkind thoughts and words I entertain; for what I intended to get to and didn’t; for the old habits and patterns I followed once again; for putting myself down or limiting myself in any way. Instead I choose Love, creating wholeness...holiness...throughout my day. I remind myself what’s good about me. Today is a good day...and I make it so!
1/25/20
I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. We all have. Nowadays, very often my mistake is when I forget my intention to be Love and instead choose judgment or impatience or criticism. That can be discouraging and I can find myself asking, “What’s the point, it seems like I try so hard and still ‘fail’?” Sound familiar? Don’t give up!!! It’s just as valuable in that moment of discouragement and perhaps feeling like a failure to love ourselves, to be gentle and wrap ourselves in our Big Self arms of compassion. Accepting our ‘moment of humanity’ with love brings us into everyday wholeness. We can then easily move forward and reaffirm our intention to be Love (or whatever your intention for the day is). Some days I have to restate my intention every hour (and some days more than that!) Today is a good day...
1/24/20
Joy is my natural state. When all I do flows from that uplifted state of Be-ing then all I know is Love and my life becomes a dream realized. My joy connects me with my feelings, helping me to meaningfully honor my sorrows and celebrate my gifts. I feel ALIVE!!! Today is a good day...and I make it so!
1/23/20
Today I walk in faith. I am one with all Life. I am the web...I am the weaver. Within me is the power that created me and recreates me. Whether it’s from Love or fear is up to me. I trust that Life is for me and I open to Its infinite possibilities of Love, and the good that flows from that Love. Today is a good day...and I make it so.
1/22/20
Today I start my day in a headspace that is positive, connected to all life, and focused on the big picture. I am inspired from my inner guidance. I open to my bigness, I remember my intentions that allow for that and I let my light shine no matter what, no matter who, no matter where. Today is a good day...and I make it so.
1/21/20
Today’s affirmation: Today I walk in right relationship with every moment. Which means that I walk each step remembering who I really am and who I came here to be. Which means that I am connected to my heartSelf...my best Self, and I connect with every person from that consciousness. Today is a good day...and I make it so.
1/20/20
Aren’t we a funny species? We think we’ll all live forever, death a distant companion, especially for those of living in “privileged” places in the world. My mother-in-law Trudy just fractured her hip and there are complications and it’s not going as well as we would like. So, of course I’m thinking about her, and that maybe she won’t be around anymore. My heart opens in gratitude for all she’s been in our lives and that takes me even further into gratitude. I look at Stew, who’s been at my side for over 40 years, and everything I grumbled about in the past fades away. When we do brush up against death and we’re forced to think about it, it is such a precious gift. If I “went” in the next moment...was I kind or compassionate enough? Did I forgive? Did I say, “I love you...I appreciate you,” often? If my loved ones “went” in the next moment, was the last word I said when they went to sleep or left the house one of criticism and petty argument or even just a nonchalant “see ya”? I know that far too often I take my loved ones for granted. It’s pretty normal to not like the specter of death but I have to say thank you for the way it helps me to stay present, connect with my heart and what’s really important, and reminds me to be the kind of person I want to show up as for myself and everyone else in more of my moments. [And 3 days later, thank you, too, Trudy, for sticking around and slowly getting better...I love you!] Okay, now go say I love you, often!
1/10/20
Who are you? Mother, daughter, father, son, worker, etc? Yes, but beyond that who are you really? We probably asked that question of ourselves fairly often growing up. At some point, perhaps we got an answer, settled into our lives, and that was that. Have you remembered to ask this question lately, going deep down below all the labels I’ve already mentioned and all the layers that define your present daily activities?
I’ve redefined myself through the years when who I seemed to be…whom I defined myself as… did not seem to be working out too well for me. I’ve also had 2 major career changes, and even though I knew (and taught) that we are not what we “do”, and that how we are being in consciousness is of far more importance, it was still an adjustment to not attach my self-worth to specific forms of doing. Labels of self can be devastating when they are only connected to externals, and what happens when those eternals change, or disappear?
Meditation and gratitude always help to get me through and help me find the good in my life just as it is, what’s right about myself just as I am. Mindfulness transforms each “ordinary” moment and opens me up to the infinite possibilities of wonder and contentment that were always there waiting for me to discover.
So, finally, beyond the limitations of the labels, I explore the depths of me where the brilliance shines out from my very core. Here I am fully connected to the Life within me and the Life all around me. Life! Always seeking to re-create itself in joy and harmony of being, from the seed of Love it started as. To be the Way of Love - that’s the only label I have to know and remember!!
1/2/20
It’s a brand-new year. Welcome 2020! My family has an annual New Year’s Eve ritual and part of it is to write a Truth Statement of how I want to be, how I want to show up in my coming year. I don’t do resolutions anymore because they always seemed to be about what was wrong with me, how I should fix myself. Doing a Truth Statement feels more empowering because it takes what issues I’m working on and focuses on the strengths of me instead of the weaknesses. It reminds me of the consciousness of Be-ing I want to bring forth in every moment...and that I want all my do-ings to flow from that bigness of me. Then I know that my life has a better chance of succeeding on all levels.
It doesn’t matter if you’re reading this in January, February or June; each moment is always new and an excellent time to create your own Truth Statement. I also invite you to create your own ritual in the doing of it. I’m big on rituals. It turns “ordinary” moments into sacred, helping me to be more aware and conscious and see the wonder and infinite possibilities that were always there and were just waiting for me to see them.
Good morning my precious Life? I Am ready to show up as my Best Self. My heart is open and there is only Love flowing in, flowing out.
I have such a good life and all I need is supplied from within (me).
Lightness of Be-ing and Joy are my constant companions of choice, creating my perfect day.
I Am responsible for the peace of my life. So I forgive myself in easy compassion for my judgmental thoughts. I transform them into allies by shining the light on what’s missing for me, what I need.
I Am fully present with each moment’s gift and all my interactions are loving and kind.
All I give returns to me as the fullness of Life’s celebration and abundance.Love-I-Am is my truth and my strength. Returning to Love-I-Am as often as I need to is also my strength. Today is a good day. I hold this for myself and all beings. Aho
2013 An Affirmative Prayer to Meditate on
I open to the Spirit of Life within me and all around me, and so I am with Love. I breathe in love…I breathe out Love and I am right in the center of this Great Love…. I feel safe, nurtured, and uplifted. Who I am expands beyond who I think I am as all my self-imposed boundaries melt away…I am one with all LIfe. Right here, right now in this sacred moment I know Love as the truth of my being…I hold Love as the truth for all beings
I am the face of Love, looking at the face of Love, in all moments, everywhere I go, no matter whom I am looking upon. Love breathes me….love in….love out…..no beginning….no end
Healing Love surrounds me…surrounds all the forms of Life on this planet…surrounds this beautiful living planet. I continue to breathe in Love…know mySelf as Love
I am so grateful for this conscious dance of oneness…I breathe in Love…I fill up on strength…hope…compassion…connection. I breathe out Love…I see the world filled up on strength…hope…compassion…connection
I walk back into the world, renewed, giving thanks that my life outflows from this place of centered being… Love is… I am That…Love is…we are That…Peace is…I am not alone…together we create a circle of peace…we create a world at peace…together, one heart at a time, we celebrate the fullest expression of Love, in all its diversity, as each one of us. Aho
Welcome to Mindful Musings
I know for certain I make such a difference in the world when I choose Love. And yet too often I choose thoughts other than Love and I’m focusing on thoughts that sound a lot like, “I’m a monster… I’m not good enough… I’m defective…I should know better.” Or I go the other way with, “They’re not good enough…they’re wrong…they’re stupid.” Either way I’m wallowing in suffering, feeling angry and judgment, and stuck in a downward spiral. And very often, when I look at what’s happening out in the world, my pain and sorrow feel overwhelming and unbearable. I believe we are all here to thrive and share our gifts, but it often seems an impossible task when I and the world are suffering so horribly.
Still, I have worked hard over the years, done a lot of inner work with self-compassion, acceptance and forgiveness and I’ve learned how to come back to Love. I have also learned I am responsible for the peace in my life and that creating peace within myself is one of the best actions I can take towards helping to create peace on this planet I care so much about. So that’s what I’ll be sharing with you…how I do that.
These are my musings of what it’s like to be me on this human journey, some from the past, some from the present. There are also meditations and affirmations, however, these are just a sampling and most can be found on my Everyday Wholeness FaceBook page. I hope it inspires and uplifts you to know that you are not alone in your crazy thoughts, and that despite them, you can - and do - make a difference in the world!!!! I also hope to remind you, often, that you are special, that the pain you feel in your heart from real and imagined wounds is a precious gift - to you and the world - and that because of them you have unique gifts to share with the world.
En-joy!