Poetic

My poem:

Those who defend

This land of freedom
Our hearts remember.

Coincidentally, this morning I told my daughter the poem my dad taught me ages ago

I'm a poet

and I didn't know it

my feet show it

they're Longfellows.

I went online to show her who Longfellow was and found that he too wrote a poem (way better of course) about those who've defended our freedom.

A Nameless Grave by Henry Wadworth Longfellow

(the last three phrases had the most meaning for me)

When I remember thou hast given for me

All that thou hadst, thy life, thy very name,

And I can give thee nothing in return.

God bless our troops and those who died to defend our freedom.

Gratitude X 10

1. Rain (to highlight what I really I want SUN)
2. Contrast (to highlight what I really want CLARITY)
3. Distraction (to highlight what I really want FOCUS)
4. Pain (to highlight what I really want EASE)
5. Dysfunction (to highlight what I really want COMPASSION)
6. Change (to highlight what I really want CONSISTENCY)
7. Fear (to highlight what I really want HOPE)
8. Judgement (to highlight what I really want ACCEPTANCE)
9. Loneliness (to highlight what I really want CONNECTION)
10. Anger (to highlight what I really want PEACE)

True Love

My son just gave me a Pokemon card to keep (be still my heart).

He chose to give it to me because the character reminded him of me.

The character is Meditite and it meditates.

I am truly curious what my kids REALLY think of me.

My 10 year old daughter is starting to let me know...

...and I'm afraid the words 'coo-coo' might come out of her mouth at any minute.

Oh well!

All about the Cs

I finally got myself organized enough to write down my daily courage commitment. I think I'm around day 25 (cannot remember some things...blaming college fun on that).

I have actually started a 'mini movement'...a few other people have joined my program and are on their own journey to living in courage. I've heard of haircuts, speaking up, fixing door knobs, taking left turns (versus normal right), and saying no to a business trip (to name a few). Many really cool things that on the surface (or on a one-off basis) don't amount to much but I know inside those people's guts, they're feeling a stir. I know I am.

I've made videos and posted them on my website. I've admitted to losing a check from a photography client. I've used a 3 year old Gift Card on a date with my husband. I've organized my office (in hopes of finding the check from above). I bought a fitness hula hoop (for ME). I'm on a roll and excited for more courageous moments. Today I am attending a group focused on creativity. The courage there is to actually admit in public that I think I'm creative. The courage is also for me to speak confidently about what I do (or want to do). I'm excited for this event and what it may bring in terms of confidence, connections, creative spark and other C words like commitment, care, candor, comfort, credence, crazy...am I missing a biggie? What's your courage for today?

Training

Last week

Me: All eyes one me (including my husband)

(Reluctantly, they all look at me.)

Me: When you brush your teeth, PLEASE swish a little water around the sink to rinse your toothpaste and spit in the drain. AND THAT MEANS YOU TOO DAD.

Them: "yes ma'am"

Me: AND, I reserve the right to remind you over and over and over.

Them: "yes ma'am"

Today

Son: Hey mom, I keep remembering to rinse the sink (with pride).

Me: That, my son, is what is called a HABIT.

Pay it forward

I would like to thank the 'anonymous' person who found my AMEX card in the parking lot of Home Depot yesterday and decided NOT to use it. I am indebted to you for taking the time to call AMEX and report the card. You've saved me hours and hours of searching, worrying, admitting my loss and potentially losing money. It is honest people like you who make me realize that I am supported in the bigger picture of things and it makes me know that I will do the same (or similar) the next time I find I can do something kind for someone else.

This moment makes me feel EVEN BETTER about putting the shopping cart away for the lady with the infant carrier...perhaps that was my "karmic moment" for my AMEX recovery process....

Who knows...and who really cares...if you do good, you get good....that is my story and I'm sticking to it!

What you think...

...you become.

Those are the words on a bangle I am wearing. I believe I can credit Buddha for them (not the bracelet, the words). So...today I think I'm going to knock some "tasks" off my list. Therefore, today I am becoming a task knocker offer....so there!

Intention - Clarity

This week's events make me think that by Saturday I'll have more clarity about "things". Each day I have an 'event' that focuses on me thinking, talking and 'doing' stuff that will require me to look within for answers or listen to others to be inspired.

What does clarity look like to me?

• Aha moments
• Inner knowing
• Peaceful
• Flow-like
• Connected to wisdom
• As if it is already so

What I imagine that feels like in my body is a warm 'buzz' like flow of energy throughout my body...almost like getting 'tingles'.

I've made weekly intentions a common practice since the new year and it is amazing how, by Friday, I've often achieved a sense of what my intention was on Monday. For example, last week was 'systems' and guess what, I was all about setting up folders (both digitally and hard copy), cleaning out files, organizing information, defining my business processes.

I'm excited to witness how 'clarity' plays out for me.

What do you intend for the week? Please do share!

Gratitude X 10

1. Foreign films


2. Seeing foreign films for free (gift certificate to the Big Picture)


3. Commitment to Courage and Change


4. Yoga for the first time in 5 years


5. Cleaning my office inside and out


6. Organizing online files


7. Being coached creatively


8. Supporting my coaching clients


9. Firming up summer plans


10. Seeing my beautiful nieces in their prom dresses!

The Secret

The secret to cleaning out almost every knook and cranny in your house is to LOSE A CHECK! I have somehow misplaced a check and I've been plowing through every bit of paper and pile 'o-junk' in my house. My car is now junk free, my office is nearly junk free, my purse looks o-so-lovely inside, my briefcase is organized, and many other assortment of 'paper collecting' devices have been tidied...and still no check...BUT cleaned out 'things'...so its not a total loss.

Maybe this is the secret...to have another family member HIDE something very valuable in a VERY hard to find place (that you actually also want to clean out) and VOILA...you have a treasure hunt on your hands AND an incentive to de-junkify your space. Or, at least that is my story, maybe someone else would give up and buy a new one OR give in and ask someone to cut another check. It may get to that, but I'm still holding hope.

Is it bad that...

...this is one of my favorite pictures of my daughter from her early days? Love the double crown effect, love the training pants showing...and oh yes, I love the expression...PERFECT! I call this Grumpy Princess: Crisis of the Crown!

Am I a bad mom...

...if this is one of my all time favorite pictures from my son's younger years?

The contrast is that, if you look closely, there are Micky Mouse cartoons on his shirt.

I'm in

Last night at dinner my daughter made a point to comment on my blouse I was wearing. It went something like this:

Daughter: Mommy, I like your shirt. I like how it has the lace in the front. I also like the sleeves.

Me: The sleeves are puffy

Daughter: Only a little bit, they're just the right amount.

Why is it that, in that moment, I felt so validated that my 10 year old daughter thought that my shirt looked good. It was as if I was a puppy getting a belly rub...you might have even seen my leg involutarily moving. I will remember this moment because I have a sense that one day, my daughter may NOT approve of my clothing.

My intention is to remain "with it" in an "appropriate for my age" kind of way...no micro minis and midriffs for this "frum frum" (covered my mouth) year old mom. I'mjustsaying

I hope you realize that the picture does NOT show the shirt I was wearing!!!!

Intention - Systems

Looking at my calendar for this week, I see a clear sign that I will be focusing on systems this week. I actually have homework from my coach that also has a systems-y ring to it. So, that makes it official. What will a systems intention look like?

I think it looks like spending dedicated time working out a process for my days, my coaching, my writing, my learning, my photography, my family, my home...it is almost as if I'm doing a little 'spring clean' of how I 'run things'. I plan to see if I can build a little bit more of an efficient system that helps me feel as though I have set aside appropriate time and space to do what I love to do with grace and ease.

Systems feel like...graceful easy flowy days, that is what I'd be working toward...imagine Glenda the Good Witch of the West floating around and the ideal would be that my magic wand takes care of anything! There's no place like home! (gag response ensues).

Gratitude X 10

1. Courage


2. Creativity


3. Change


4. Children


5. Chances


6. Challenges


7. Chirping


8. Companionship
   
9. Candor
10. Capability

Burnin'

These first days of super-d-duper weather reminds me of a parenting duty...applying sunscreen. Both of my kids have had their first "burn" this year and I get so disappointed with myself when that happens. The one benefit is that the freckles on their faces are so darn cute. I'm not sure they're going to be happy about that in the future, but for now...pure cuteness!

Perfect

How can my day NOT be perfect when it started with a concert from my darling 2nd grader son? My day is going to be GREAT...and the song "Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. Golden Sun...please shine down on me" is in my head. Love it!!!

AND Mr. Sun is delivering his side of the request!

Venus and Mars

As parents, I'm noticing a difference between my husband and me. I struggle with engaging in the after school sports for the kids (but do it anyway). My husband finds it rewarding and is willing to work his schedule to not only attend but help coach (especially for Monkey). Is it the 'sports' part or is it an energy-level I'm not aware of? I find it to be a hassle. He doesn't see it that way. Maybe its how sports played out as a child? Who knows? I find it interesting.

Tonight, we BOTH will be attending my daughter's soccer game...tonight its a "team" effort.

State of being

I am at a loss for words so I looked through my stash of photos to see what 'spoke' to me...this one did. I love hummingbirds, and lately, I've felt like one. I feel as if I've been quite constructively busy and in all of that, I've felt calm. A hummingbird reminds me of this feeling because they look like they are 'still' but their wings are moving a mile a minute. Just thinking about it makes me feel empowered. So, when I'm 'off kilter' I intend to think of my hummingbird self and see if I can get to that state of being. If nothing else, I'll at least be smiling because hummingbirds make me smile.

Car ride discussions

Son: Mommy this book says that you can have a baby if you wish for it, is that true?

Mommy: Weeeell, you also need a mommy and a daddy.

Son: Oh!

Mommy: Buuuut, it was nice to wish for you when I was ready to have babies.

I've got some 'splainin' to do soon enough!

Collision

I had a colliding of two worlds of sorts yesterday.

I had about 6-8 loads of laundry to fold. I was diligently doing the laundry but avoiding the folding and putting away (my least favorite part). Yesterday, the kids and I went to help set up for an event called Queen - It's a New Day where women who have fallen on hard times are given a day of pampering. Part of the program is using donated clothing to provide new outfits. There were miles and miles of clothes to be sorted and hung. The clothes at the Queen event and the clothes in my laundry room looked oddly similar. So, for 1.5 hours I sorted women's clothing and for 1.5 hours after that I came home and sorted (and put away) my family's clothing. You'd have thought that one of the events would have stopped me from doing the other...but curiously, I was compelled to 'get 'er done'. And I did! I ended my day feeling very satisfied on so many fronts:

• love from my family
• be-yootiful sunny day
• active with my kids
• spiritual alignment
• giving back to the community
• LAUNDRY COMPLETELY DONE!!!!

I slept well last night!!!

Gratitude X 10

1. Sleeping for 12 hours straight (7pm - 7am)...kids took care of themselves (ish)


2. Riding my new bike to have brunch with my kids (minus dad who is in Berlin)


3. Eating yummy brunch made by someone else (my fav)


4. Walking a labyrinth with my friend


5. Watching my kids do what they do best - play


6. Reading my book (I love to finish books and I'm ALMOST there)


7. Emailing my husband who had a rough travel experience with clouds of ash involved


8. Buying flowers for myself at the Saturday Market


9. Getting some healthy Vitamin D


10. Feeling incredibly blessed!

Courage

Earlier this week I announced my 100 Day Fear Factor quest....well things have changed...and they're for the better. I've decided that Fear in the title of my program doesn't really bring up warm and fuzzy feelings...pretty much the opposite.

I decided to play with the opposite of fear and I came up with Courage. So...drum roll...the name of my program is called Commitment to Courage...and then my friend, Tricia, added a great bonus word to really make it powerful - Change...so CCC is what I'm doing on a daily basis. Here is my list for this week

CCC1- Ran

CCC2- Got a business license

CCC3- Met with someone about a mentoring program

CCC4- Tried my dad's old camera lens on my camera and realized they're 2 different makes...but I'd been thinking about doing this for a year (it took me 3 minutes)!

CCC5- Met with a ghost.

CCC6 -Tackling Mt. Laundry in my home...that, for me, takes courage.

Does anyone want to join me? I'd love to hear the stories of courage...big or small, it all adds up to the same feeling in my opinion.

Mother Love

OK...so when your kids get older and don't "need" you as much, do you know what is one of the most rewarding things?...WHEN THEY NEED YOU again. My son is feeling pretty "yucky" right now and all he wanted to do at lunch today is sit on my lap and have me hold him. Then we made it home and I tucked him into bed and it felt so sweet and tender. Unfortunately, his neediness (ie illness) and my NEEDINESS for someone to need me aren't 100% aligned...I wouldn't wish illness on anyone...but I have to say it feels good to be needed in whatever way I can...is that backward thinking? I'm thinking I have some thought work to do on feeling needed. I'mjustsaying.

Job opps

Conversation this morning over muffins:

Mommy: Did you know that some stores sell only muffin tops (not the midsection jelly roll on our bellies but the REAL ones)

Daughter: I actually prefer the bottom part.

Mommy: Hey, that is a great job for you honey, you can work at a bakery eating all of the bottoms so that they can sell the tops!

Daughter: Yah.....No!

Advanced

Hey - Does anyone know if we're getting closer to a Jetson's way of life in terms of the Robot Maid? I'm home with the kids for a week by myself and all the home maintenance 'stuff' is already on my last nerve...dishwasher running, beds made, laundry needs folding, house is a little 'grimy'....Where is Rosie when I need her? I'mjustsaying

Fear Factor

I just finished the book Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway. Susan Jeffers recommends doing something that you fear at least once a day (it doesn't have to be the "jumping out of a plane" kind of fear). So...silly me has decided to go for a 100 day goal of doing something I fear. One of my fears though is that I won't be able to follow through...where does that fit in this model?

I intend to do it daily but will give myself the gift of flexibility where necessary...but 100 days is the goal. So, today, to set the ball rolling, my fear I conquered was to run half of my normal walk. I did it and guess what, I'm still alive...hallelujah.

I'll keep you posted on my fear factor (FF) goals. My list begins with FF#1 RUN! Tomorrow may include setting up my business with the state (gulp). I'd love suggestions from the peanut gallery!

By the way...the picture represents a childhood fear that is an inside joke in my family. After experiencing terror on a ride at Disneyland (Pirates of the Caribbean I think), I committed to only riding Dumbo for the rest of our visit to the park. My father, Dumbo and I became very close that day!

Intention - Rhythm

Each week I try (emphasis on try) to set an intention for the week. I look at the week ahead and decide on a word (or two) that represents what I want to feel. This week the word I've chosen is Rhythm. Rhythm to me feels as though I move through my day with deliberate focus but that it has a flow and ease to it. Specifically I intend to:

• Write my blog daily


• Write my morning pages (3 of them) daily


• Work on my coaching business at least 3 hours each day without interruption


• Set time blocks for checking email, facebook and blogs

My stretch goals for the week:

1. Finish listening to my 12 hour-long taped classes


2. Register my business with the State


3. Read my Money Mojo ebook

You may be really bored right now watching me plan my week...but for me, I have a little spark of energy that makes me excited to get 'into the rhythm' of this week. My biggest challenge will be to NOT check email and other Internet sites on an hourly basis. I'm going to come up with some awesome reward for this!!!

In the meantime...my theme song for the week is this! How about you? What is your theme song?

Gratitude X 10

1. Breakfast at diners


2. Hearing the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic (in person is stunning)


3. 10 year old girls (X 10)


4. Fellowship with neighbors


5. Connections with like-minded women


6. Tissues


7. The song - Simple Gifts
   
8. Winning $50 for taking a creative risk!


9. Naps during allergy season


10. My calendar sufficiently full for next week.