One of my favorite mind-body skills is drawings. I have had so much fun learning and practicing this skill. I wrote about my first experience with drawings last summer when I attended The Gulf Coast Community Day sponsored by the Mind-Center of Louisiana. I have treasured the drawing I did that day and keep it in the plastic cover of my binder from the first training I attended in October. The drawing (shown in the photo) inspires me every time I look at it. Read the rest of this entry ?
Posts Tagged ‘life’
Access Your Intuition with Drawings
February 18, 2012Practicing Mindful Eating
January 28, 2012
I am in Washington DC attending the Center for Mind Body Medicine’s Advanced Training. I realized yesterday at lunch that I desire to practice mindful eating more often. The realization came to me as we were beginning lunch when the facilitator invited us to offer gratitude for the meal we were about to eat, and I had already gobbled down half my plate. I wondered in that moment why in the world I eat so fast. It has been a way of life for me as long as I remember, and I don’t enjoy almost always being the first one finished with a meal. Read the rest of this entry ?
Pay Attention to Your Words
January 21, 2012
I attended an interesting workshop at the Baton Rouge Unity Church a few weeks ago about Effective Communication facilitated by Charles Frost. I was surprised to learn about his belief that “Why” may be the most damaging word in the English language. Charles explained that the word “Why” often puts people on the defensive because of negative experiences they had as children. For example, they may have been asked “why did you do that?” Or they may have received responses to “why” questions like “because I said so.” He suggested replacing “Why” with “How is it possible”. Read the rest of this entry ?
Celebrate Life Every Day
January 17, 2012
I was reminded last week how critical it is to celebrate life every day and to show appreciation for all the wonderful people, places, and things we are blessed to experience in our lives. The reminder came when I attended the funeral of my cousin, Amy, who died of unknown causes suddenly last week. Amy was 39 years old, 7 years younger than me and way too young to die. I wasn’t close to Amy as an adult; however, we spent many holidays together at our grandparents’ house while we were growing up. Read the rest of this entry ?
Heeding Your Body’s Signals
January 12, 2012As I sit here at my desk, I can hear the whoosh of cars driving by on the main road outside my door. It’s been raining, so, the sound is louder, and it’s carrying better because it’s night time. I’m pretty tired, because I’ve been working hard on a project for work that has to be completed tomorrow and presented. But more than anything, Read the rest of this entry ?
Motivation and Follow-Through
January 6, 2012
Photo by Lisa Mayers Houff
Paths clear for those who know where they’re going and are determined to get there. ― Anonymous
Seeing this quote at the beginning of 2012 is just what I needed to remind me that when I’ve been passionate about what I want and focus on it, the way has opened. Lately I’ve been spinning my wheels on a few goals and this made me step back and review my stumbling. Am I going for what I really want? If so, am I determined in my actions?
As I pondered my motivation, I came across this blog post by Peter Bregman at HBR: “Your Problem Isn’t Motivation.” Aha! The challenge isn’t motivation, it’s follow-through, Bregman points out. Read the rest of this entry ?
Evolving Through the Changes in Life
December 29, 2011
Recently I came across a handheld solitaire game I played in 2003. I marveled at how technology has changed because now I play solitaire on an iPhone that also performs a hundred other tasks. Back in 2003 I had a portable CD player but now I listen to music on my iPhone, too. I could have taken the picture in this post with my phone. It’s stunning to think about the changes in less than a decade though I don’t often focus on the leaps being made. I’m just using my iPhone and not using these other things. Technological advancement is wonderful and I’m glad of the reminder that our lives and the things around us evolve and change (mostly) for the better. I want to embrace new things and not view change as a threat, though it may feel uncomfortable at times. Read the rest of this entry ?
A Decade is Coming to an End
August 4, 2011In less than 6 weeks, I’ll be 49 and I’m not quite as upbeat about it as Rebecca was about her birthday! The decade of my 40’s is coming to a rapid end, and it feels….. strange. I don’t look in the mirror and see a woman that age. I see the girl I was in my 20’s or 30’s. Sure, I see the lines that are starting to develop around my eyes, but I also remember being in college and freaking out with a friend as we found the very first line on our faces in the huge mirror of the girl’s dormitory bathroom.
I don’t feel almost 50. Well, ok, most of the time I don’t. As I sit here typing this, I’m up too late, and realize that I just don’t have the late night stamina I once did, but, I still love being up in the wee hours of the morning just after midnight as I always have. My tootsies are a little achy after walking in high heels 6 blocks today for lunch. But, I can remember my toes cramping all day after dancing all night in my 20’s. Read the rest of this entry ?
Tooting My Own Bassoon
February 28, 2011
Image via Wikipedia
My cousin recently posted a photo on Facebook that featured a bassoon and a dry erase board that amusingly cautioned people to turn off their communication devices or risk being called upon to play the bassoon during the musical performance. I laughed at this teasing way to make a point.
The photo reminded me I had learned to play the bassoon in my senior year of high school. It was the fourth musical instrument I learned while in school. This is an achievement I’ve not really acknowledged for myself. Also, music for the bassoon is written in bass clef and I had originally learned to play other instruments in treble clef so I learned two ways to read music. I marvel at the confidence my band teachers had in me to encourage this.
I’ve done a few personal growth activities that asked me to make lists of my achievements or the milestones in my life. These lists are designed to help me focus on success and positivity. Read the rest of this entry ?
Are You Setting Goals for 2011? I’m Not.
January 15, 2011
The first question in One Year Hook Book is about setting goals. Something I’ve never really been all that good at in a formal kind of way. Generally, something has come to mind that I wanted to do, and I just didn’t stop until I accomplished that thing. Read the rest of this entry ?
