Things that make you go Hmmmmm

Here I sit, at the tail end of 2007.  I look back on a year of travel, connection, new beginnings, endings, reconciliations and I'm oh so grateful for my life.  

No contemplations this time.  Just a GINORMOUS (new fave word) wish of abundance to you and yours as you say good-bye to one year and look forward to another.  

C'mon in and share what's good and what you'll change in the New Year.  Let's celebrate together.  

Blessings!  

Susan

Cats, a Red Hat and Gratitude

It's Thanksgiving morning and my eyes popped open at 4:40am as if to say "don't miss a minute of this day". So, I woke up, made a cup of coffee, donned my long denim coat with the fake fur collar and cuffs, found a red stocking hat and headed into the back yard with my cats to stare at the stars. It's cold this morning ... about 40 degrees. My cats love being outside in the cold and they were VERY excited that I joined them this morning. Mike, the big one, was first in line for my lap and a cuddle. Lots of purring, lots of head scratching, then a leaf moved and he was "on it"! Maggie ran over when she figured out Mike was done. No cuddling for Maggie ... just a scratch and a tail pull. Any more would have distracted her from being "on alert". She's tiny and she loves to be outside, but she runs inside at the first sign of trouble. Not Mike, he defends his yard against anything. Somehow, those two little guys have put a smile on my face despite the hour. They have successfully busted me out of my normal not-a-morning-person grumpiness and I'm grateful. My cats remind me that it's okay to ask for love, it's okay to act like a nut when a leaf moves across the ground and it's okay to beg shamelessly for what you want.

Today, when things can get a little rushed and hectic and stressful (family and meal prep can do that to us!), take a lesson from my cats or from the little kids in your life. Do something nutty, ask for a hug and laugh when things get weird. And above all, be grateful for the life that you have, exactly as it is and notice how everything around you softens in response.

Many, Many Blessings!

Susan

Congestion

What is the silver lining in a Cold? I look for silver linings and I think that's my spiritual practice. I have a cold that took about 4 days to creep up on me then it knocked me down. Against my will and in favor of good judgment, I'm staying in bed one more day. This is the day that challenges me to the core. My energy is better but my head feels like it's the size of my house. I CAN work and there will be a cost if I don't let my body naturally move toward health. Which brings us to the question in my mind today: where else in my life do I push toward conclusion when a natural solution will present itself, if only I'd leave it alone?

I contend that much of our stress in life occurs because we can't leave well enough alone. We create our own chaos because we can't just let things run their natural course. Find one place in your day where you find that you're pushing on something that doesn't need to be pushed. Stop pushing and see what happens. Notice how life takes care of itself, people handle their own problems and the world doesn't come to an end just because you stopped driving yourself so hard.

Give yourself the gift of STOP and just maybe, your shoulders will drop or you'll be able to take one full, deep breath.

Blessings,

Susan

Accountability

Don't you just hate it when you see a commitment that you've made to yourself ... and you wake up one day and see that you've been playing small? When I launched my website a few years ago (http://www.beingrealized.com/) I announced to the world that my website was my personal challenge to myself ... to achieve personal mastery. For the most part I'm really proud of what I've accomplished in recent years. And there is this small voice inside that still says "you're playing small". Is this true or has my victim just sprouted a new set of lungs and wants some attention?

Accountability is a marvelous thing, especially in coaching. It helps us keep our clients on the path toward awareness. Personal accountability can also be a great way to beat ourselves up if we're not careful. What I keep learning is that there is perfection is "less than perfect". In other words, perfection is with us every moment of every day ... if only we'd slow down from our own achiever-minds to notice.

What is the perfection in this moment? Sit quiet with a cup of tea and just expand your awareness with every breath. Notice what's absolutely perfect and be grateful for it. Gratitude is, indeed, the secret to the Universe ... pass it on (as we used to say in grade school).

Many blessings to you,

Susan
Feng Shui-er and Appreciator of Great Dialogue