Words of Wisdom

These are the directives the Professor gives me on a regular basis. As I seem to be unable to retain this wisdom, he must repeat it often. I share it here simply to remind myself of some simple truths. Perhaps you can find a pearl to help you through today.

• When you are tired, rest. This requires an awareness for and respect of one's current physical condition.  Resting is not a negative activity. Our bodies and minds need regular rest for optimal health. Exhaustion is not a badge of having done a good job.
• When you are hungry, eat. This also requires an awareness for and respect of one's current physical condition.  Eating is not a negative activity. Our bodies and minds need regular fueling for optimal health. Starving is not a badge of high moral fiber. It does not equal spirituality.
• When you are sad, cry. This requires an awareness for and respect of one's current emotional condition. Expressing sadness is not a negative activity. Emotions are a part of being human. If we do not express our emotions they will store up in our bodies causing illness. Let it out.
• When you are busy, make time to play. Counter-intuitive truth. The most productive people have this one mastered.  Me? Not so much.

So give yourself a break today and allow yourself to be human. Eat when you're hungry. Cry if you're sad. Rest if you're tired. And make time to play.

Be nice to yourself today, if only because I said so. And you know why I want you to? 
It's because I love you. Bunches.

Week Three 100 Days of Making

Week three of this challenge. Already? The time flies by and I am accumulating ladies. And I am nearly a quarter of the way finished with this. No, it did not happen every day. And no, I do not care. I am simply surprised that I have hung in there this long. (As are those who know how easily I am distracted. SQUIRREL!) Truly grateful for this growing habit and how much I am learning..

Enough said. Here they are:

 

 

So precious one, keep on keeping on... Write your songs, your pages, your name. Meditate. Work that body. Keep on showing up and stretching yourself. You are growing. And so am I.

I love you. Bunches.

Week Two: 100 Days of Making

I keep telling myself, "Progress, not perfection," but the old tapes are still playing in my head. "You have to be the best or it doesn't." "Make a mistake and you're finished." "You suck at this, quit before anyone notices." Etc, etc, until I want to throw up!  That said, here are this week's postings for the 100 Days challenge. I've chosen to create women. I keep telling my Inner Critic that the point of this exercise is to show up and do the work. After doing anything 100 times, there will be improvement. At the very least, I will have come to my own style.

By the way dear ones, you can join this project at any time. That's the beauty of it. I'd love to have company. Just choose something you'd love to do daily. Or something you might not like doing, but would like to do better or more regularly. I'm actually beginning to enjoy the process. Thank you to those of you who have let me in on your journey with this. I am honored to share it with you.

It is never, never never too late for you. Never. 

And don't forget: I love you. Bunches.

Sunset in the Shallows

Learning to be comfortable in my own skin, to be simply me, has been a process. As a child I was a daughter, sister, cousin, student, etc. My identity was defined by my relationships and activities. Fast forward to my twenties. I became wife, mother, minister, etc. Again my identity was in my relationships and activities. Later in life I morphed into grandmother, teacher, artist, etc. Each relationship and activity served to shape me into the woman I am today.

That said, when I began my journey of self-discovery, I felt very alone. Duped by the paths of good I had chosen over time. Angry and blaming anyone I could think of. Perhaps I did a little individuating in my early 50's (something more appropriate to the teen years). Necessary steps toward maturity taken late, but I began with baby steps to take responsibility for my own life. Choices for joy. Peace. Creativity.

I had to learn to walk my life alone. Of course I still have relationships and activities, but they no longer define my sum total. I have looked into the abyss and seen that my God goes with me. I am not alone when I am alone.

Dear Ones, we may not always enjoy all the parts of our lives all the time, but we always have choices. That is both our greatest gift and can be our deepest grief. So take the next 24 hours and evaluate your choices past and present. Then turn them over and choose again. I know you will know what to do. You have that in you.

And I love you. Bunches.

Seeking Expert Status

It is said it takes 10,000 hours to attain expert status in anything.

Monday I began a new venture inspired by  100 Days of Making. The idea is to do the same activity each day for 100 days. Simply show up and do the work. I am not alone in this venture. Princess Be-Right-Back is attending to her songwriting each day. Both the Professor and Big Daddio are writing daily. The Fashionista is sculpting and strengthening her body. Doctor P. is meditating. And these are merely the people I know. Thousands of others across the world are also doing this.  Just pick an activity and do it. The results? Well, we'll see in 93 more days.

The activity/challenge I chose was to create (draw/paint/sew) a woman each day. Here are this week's offerings.

1/100

2/100

3/100

4/100

5/100

6/100

7/100

You may see these ladies again, as they do have stories I'd like to share. But for now, here are the images. For me, this process is about being willing to be a beginner in order to work toward that expert status.

If this concept is interesting to you, here is some good news. It's not too late to start. ust pick your activity and start! And, of course, comment below or shoot me an email to let me know what you've decided to do. You know I'm interested.

Because I love you. Bunches.