Welcome to the magical world of transformation…

Harmony is my 2009 theme.  Instead of making New Year’s Resolutions I picked a theme to help guide me through my year.  I love my theme so much that I think of it often and whenever I see the word I pause and pay special tribute to it.

The photo above was taken at the Center for Spiritual Living Women’s Retreat I went on a week ago.  I had a beautiful time and it was an amazing experience.

One of the most powerful ways I’ve incorporated harmony into my life is when I’m driving.  You see, it’s really easy for me to road rage.  I know surprising isn’t it?! But, true.  I’m often in a hurry with little to no patience for slow or idiotic drivers.  Lately I’ve been asking myself, “How can I bring harmony to our roadways?” and I do live in a densely populated area.  One of the ways I’ve began to live it is by saying out loud while I’m driving:

I am love.

I am loved.

I am loving.

It has really helped me find harmony in my travel time because it is impossible to road rage when you are full of love and allow it to flow through you.  I know it’s made a difference in my life and I trust that it’s also made a difference in the lives of the people on the road with me.

Please do leave me a comment and let me know what you 2009 theme is and how you are living it.

Tags: affirmations, driving, happiness, harmony, life, love, positive thinking, road rage

One of my core values is harmony.

And this goes way back.  Even when I was a kid I did everything within my power to help people get along.  In fact, my biggest desires were all about people getting along.  I tried so hard to get my two older sisters to stop fighting.  I needed my mom and grandma to get along.  And I would have done anything to stop my sister and mom from arguing.

One thing I realized this morning while blow drying my hair is that in the past, harmony has been so important to me that I sacrificed myself in order to have it.  I took on independence at an age so young I wasn’t aware of what I was giving up.  Almost all of my first memories are full of fear as I did things on my own that I wasn’t ready for.  I remember walking to kindergarten alone from the babysitter’s house and terrified that when I turned the corner the school would be gone.  That the whole world would have vanished and there would be no one there to help me. But, I never told anyone.  I never asked the babysitter to walk me.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I put on a facade of strength and told her I’d be fine.

I remember the neighbor dropping me off at pre-school one day and I had to walk from the car to the door by myself.  I was terrified that it would be locked, I couldn’t get in, and she would drive off leaving me alone, outside with no one to help me.  Again, I didn’t ask the neighbor who was already taking the time to take me to school to walk me to the door.  Instead, I thanked her for the ride that I was sure was taking her away from other, more important tasks.

And once when I was 3 or 4 I was hospitalized.  I don’t remember the details, but I do remember waking up in the middle of the night in the bed with bars (it was like a big crib) and really needing to pee.  Mom was sleeping next to me, but I wouldn’t wake her to help.  I remember looking across the hallway at the bathroom trying to will my way through the bars so that I could potty.  I don’t remember ever peeing and I wonder if I wet the bed that night.

Even as I type this more than 30 years after these events I can still feel the pang of loneliness.  I am amazed that at an age so young I already felt worthless.  Who was I to wake Mom up? Who was I to ask for help? Who was I to need a hand to hold?

Oh, how I wish I could travel back in time, wrap my toddler self in my arms, and tell her that everything is okay.  That it’s okay to ask for help.   That life is less scary when you share your fears.  That she can hold my hand any time she wants to.  And that Mom loves her deeply – more than she is able to express.

I am surprised that all of this is coming up today.  And I’m grateful for the opportunity to share it with you and reconnect with that young, frightened toddler within.  This connection is vital to how I live harmony today.

I do not have to sacrifice myself.

I can ask for help.

I can share my fears.

And I can hold your hand.

Thank you for being a part of my harmonious healing work.

Tags: childhood, connect, fear, harmony, loneliness, support

Today I woke up feeling spent.  My soul simply needed a boost.  So instead of going to the gym and working out, I decided to go on a photo expedition.  Here is the beauty I captured…

I must say that I do feel so much more equipped to face my busy day.  And now I’m curious.  What do you do when you feel spent and need a boost?

Tags: connecting, happiness, harmony, health, photography, photos

Consider this:

There is no such thing as punishment.

There are only consequences.

Some are desired.

Some are undesired.

Some take us closer to our dreams and goals.

Some take us farther away from our dreams and goals.

Some are natural (i.e. eat junk food, gain weight)

Some are enforced (i.e. speeding ticket)

We have no control over consequences.

We do however have the power and right to make the choices that lead up to consequences.

So today, choose to let go of punishment.

And embrace your choices instead.

Because you are living your consequences right now.

Simply Fearless ~

Tags: advice, happiness, harmony, humanity, Parenting

I had the pleasure and honor of guest leading the Natural Healers Networking meeting today because the founder Tina Deane is on holiday.  We had so much fun!  I gave the Ditch Your Resolutions presentation and we all created 2009 themes together.  We also shared how we were going to put them into practice. Some of the themes were: harmony (mine!), juicy, freedom, space, receive, community, laughter, and allow. Everyone was so willing to share their ideas. In fact, at one point we did a “Puppy Pile” which was when we laid down on the floor head to stomach and then laughed together. It was crazy fun! It wasn’t planned as part of the meeting, but it came up as an idea so whoever was willing just jumped on in and participated. We seriously laughed for at least a full minute – probably longer.

Anyhow, I put this outline together to guide me through the presentation and I thought ya’ll might appreciate it as it puts together what I’ve been blogging about for the past week:

Ditch Your Resolutions: Your 2009 Theme

If you knew how to accomplish your New Year’s Resolutions, then you would have already.  If you had the deep desire to accomplish them, then you would have.  Resolutions tend to be things we use to beat ourselves up with and evidence we use to prove how unworthy we are.

And at the same time, they do have value, right? There are areas in our lives for us to develop and there are things we want to accomplish.  So how do we make 2009 a year of transformation for ourselves and our businesses while ditching our resolutions? Here’s how:

Pick a 2009 theme instead.

A theme is:

• an intention
• an energy that drives our words and actions
• a unifying and dominant idea
• the most common element
• what brings together all parts of our lives

Think of your theme like the hub of a wheel.  It is the point where all aspects of your life come together and it is the origin

Activity
Take an index card and write your one-word theme on one side of it.  Think about all aspects of your life and make sure it is something that:

1. inspires you into positive action
2. only you are responsible for it – it can involve other people, but it cannot depend upon them
3. in alignment with your values – not your family of origin’s values, not your husband or wife’s values, YOUR values.

Now embody your theme.  Finish the following sentence:

I am {insert your theme}.

For example, I am harmony.

Okay, now turn the index card over and write down 5 simple ways to practice your theme.

Here are 5 simple ways to practice for my theme harmony:

1. kiss my husband for 10 seconds
2. turn my computer off for 24 hours
3. let go of judging others
4. pet my cat
5. pray, listen, and follow divine inspiration

Make sure your simple ways to practice are practical, measurable, and doable.  Of course, making them fun makes them easier too!

Homework
Every day take some time to consider your theme.  Write down one way it is showing up in your life or one way you are going to practice it.  This will only take a few minutes of your time and at the end of the year you will have an abundance of your theme in your life!

Tags: goals, harmony, Life Coaching, success

“Hang Out”

If you’re a regular here, then you know that this is my year of HARMONY.  What is harmony? Good question.  I’ve been asking myself the same thing for the past few days and this is what I’ve come up with so far:

• Harmony is listening to my heart and mind.
• Harmony is loving myself just as I love others.
• Harmony with my soul is deep awareness.
• Harmony is letting go of control while making powerful decisions for myself.

I’ve been writing down a new definition each day this new year and I am falling in love with harmony!  It totally inspires me.  I hope your 2009 theme inspires you too.

Tags: harmony

“Hang On”

The past two days I’ve been blogging about my 2009 theme: harmony.  Well, yesterday while I was running this question hit me:

Do your daily habits move you closer or farther away from your theme?

And then it hit me that a lot of people probably aren’t even aware of their daily habits, so I thought it would be worth posting.  Take some time to think about your daily life and make a list of the things you do at least 5 times per week.  Are they habits you want to keep? Tweak? or toss?

This is also a good time to incorporate some new daily habits.  I received a book for Christmas that has a daily message and homework assignment.  I’m adding it to my daily journaling practice because the author is one of my life coaching role models.  Officially she’s not a life coach; she’s a Zen teacher and student, but her work is a total inspiration.

Anyhow,  when you stop and think about it, our lives are created by the small things we do every day.  So what do you want 2009 to be made of?

Tags: Cheri Huber, habits, harmony