Fighting off a cold WITH DETERMINATION!
Hanging out with a toddler -WHEEE!
MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW BOOK! (Little Bear's contribution)
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
A coincidence! I love coincidences!
So, yesterday I wrote about stories...and today I got this in my Atrraction Parenting newsletter:
:: The Power of Story (Part 1) ::
Children love stories for their power to evoke
creation: Stories told with conviction inspire
imaginary worlds that feel real and shape one's
sense of truth.
Anytime you talk *about* anything, you are in essence
telling a story that "in-forms" your world...
* You tell a story when someone asks you,
"How've you been?"
* You tell a story whenever you chat with
your friends about how difficult or easy
it is to parent your child.
* You tell yourself stories when you recall
good or bad memories, worry about tomorrow,
anticipate fun, etc.
Whatever story or theme you repeat most often becomes
the story of your life. That means you can change your
life by changing your story!
Things are falling into place :-)
:: The Power of Story (Part 1) ::
Children love stories for their power to evoke
creation: Stories told with conviction inspire
imaginary worlds that feel real and shape one's
sense of truth.
Anytime you talk *about* anything, you are in essence
telling a story that "in-forms" your world...
* You tell a story when someone asks you,
"How've you been?"
* You tell a story whenever you chat with
your friends about how difficult or easy
it is to parent your child.
* You tell yourself stories when you recall
good or bad memories, worry about tomorrow,
anticipate fun, etc.
Whatever story or theme you repeat most often becomes
the story of your life. That means you can change your
life by changing your story!
Things are falling into place :-)
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Wishcasting Wednesday...on Thursday!
So, yesterday was Wednesday...and I didn't post anything. Know why? Little Bear is going through a MAJOR "I am almost 18 months old and I am learning how to talk" milestone right now, and he barely napped....and when he WAS napping he needed my boob. *Sigh* I try to remember that one day nursing will be a fond memory...but when I'm stuck in the bedroom and can't get out and don't have my glasses on...it becomes challenging.
ANYWAY. There was a point to this...and the point is that it feeds into my answer to yesterday's Wishcasting Wednesday question: "What story do you wish to live or let go of?"
I often feel like I'm stuck in recurring patterns of reaction. You know how it is, "I had a bad night, therefore I'm cranky and will have a bad day" or "Little Bear isn't sleeping today therefore I will barely keep it together and will freak out at Papa Bear tonight." It all feels very heavy and out of control and BAD. But the thing I've realized this week is that IT DOESN'T HAVE TO. No one says that just because I had a crappy night's sleep I HAVE to be cranky. No one says that not having a break means I HAVE to lose it (losing it NEVER makes me feel better...I have come to the firm belief that that whole "anger catharsis" thing is crap). All it takes is a shift in perception, some mindful breathing, some positive rephrasing, and (sometimes) a well-timed mug of tea or piece of dark chocolate and the possibilities open right up! It happened the other day when I wrote about my gratitude practice, it happened last night when Little Bear woke up at 3am and started practicing his words, and Dear LORD did it ever happen yesterday when he wouldn't nap! I took some deep breaths, I reminded myself that, while I can't control what happens I have the Inner Freedom to control how I handle it, and I handled it better than I could have imagined (OK, OK, I still snapped at Papa Bear when he came home last night. I'm only human, and this is all new to me!).
So, this is my (belated) wish: to live a story where I don't mentally skip straight to the worst possible ending and then manifest it. I wish to live a story where I am able to enjoy (or at least appreciate) every single moment for what it is, to find the silver lining, and to creatively handle any obstacle. Just writing that makes me feel more free.
As an added thought, I've been reading about the way Buddhists handle anger and thinking about (and feeling) the difference between repressing anger and admitting, feeling, and releasing anger. It really is tangible -the hard, tight, out of control feeling of repressing (and ultimately exploding), vs the soft, accepting feeling of breathing deeply, thinking "I'm angry...it's OK to be angry...", allowing myself to feel anger and then mindfully choosing to re-centre myself. When I pick Option #2 I inevitably end up feeling better faster. Interesting stuff.
ANYWAY. There was a point to this...and the point is that it feeds into my answer to yesterday's Wishcasting Wednesday question: "What story do you wish to live or let go of?"
I wish to live a story of infinite possibility.
I often feel like I'm stuck in recurring patterns of reaction. You know how it is, "I had a bad night, therefore I'm cranky and will have a bad day" or "Little Bear isn't sleeping today therefore I will barely keep it together and will freak out at Papa Bear tonight." It all feels very heavy and out of control and BAD. But the thing I've realized this week is that IT DOESN'T HAVE TO. No one says that just because I had a crappy night's sleep I HAVE to be cranky. No one says that not having a break means I HAVE to lose it (losing it NEVER makes me feel better...I have come to the firm belief that that whole "anger catharsis" thing is crap). All it takes is a shift in perception, some mindful breathing, some positive rephrasing, and (sometimes) a well-timed mug of tea or piece of dark chocolate and the possibilities open right up! It happened the other day when I wrote about my gratitude practice, it happened last night when Little Bear woke up at 3am and started practicing his words, and Dear LORD did it ever happen yesterday when he wouldn't nap! I took some deep breaths, I reminded myself that, while I can't control what happens I have the Inner Freedom to control how I handle it, and I handled it better than I could have imagined (OK, OK, I still snapped at Papa Bear when he came home last night. I'm only human, and this is all new to me!).
So, this is my (belated) wish: to live a story where I don't mentally skip straight to the worst possible ending and then manifest it. I wish to live a story where I am able to enjoy (or at least appreciate) every single moment for what it is, to find the silver lining, and to creatively handle any obstacle. Just writing that makes me feel more free.
As an added thought, I've been reading about the way Buddhists handle anger and thinking about (and feeling) the difference between repressing anger and admitting, feeling, and releasing anger. It really is tangible -the hard, tight, out of control feeling of repressing (and ultimately exploding), vs the soft, accepting feeling of breathing deeply, thinking "I'm angry...it's OK to be angry...", allowing myself to feel anger and then mindfully choosing to re-centre myself. When I pick Option #2 I inevitably end up feeling better faster. Interesting stuff.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Proof that gratitude practices are completely worthwhile:
...After a less-than-stellar night's sleep my Little Bear woke up an hour early. And instead of griping to myself and making things worse the first thing I thought was "OK, so what's good about today? What am I going to put in my gratitude post on Facebook?" And I immediately felt better.
If I'd known the practice of writing one sentence every morning would transform my life so completely I would have started years ago. It's true: you can change your life without "Changing Your Life."
:-)
If I'd known the practice of writing one sentence every morning would transform my life so completely I would have started years ago. It's true: you can change your life without "Changing Your Life."
:-)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Creative Adventure Sunday!
Happy Sunday!
This week's Creating Dreams Come True assignment was to try something new. I couldn't take a different route to work, as my work is my life (no, really, that's what a stay at home mom is...at work all the time...luckily it doesn't FEEL like work). But I did find some fun ways to change things up a bit:
-I did a dance "workout" every single day (usually I exercise very VERY sporadically)
-I wrote a little bit of my novel every day instead of leaving it all until Sunday afternoon (SO MUCH BETTER THIS WAY!!)
-I tried a raw dessert recipe using dates (it was truffles made of ground nuts, dates, and cocoa, and it was AMAZING!)
-I crocheted instead of knitted (and I'm getting MUCH better at it! And best of all, it's SO much more babyproof than knitting!)
-I took a book into the bedroom at naptime...so that when Little Bear woke up after the first hour (which he ALWAYS does) I could lie there and read while he nursed back down. Best idea EVER.
-instead of squeezing in a shower once or twice a week I washed my hair in the sink every other day and took sponge baths...result: I was cleaner and felt more human. I'd tried this before, but this time I did it regularly.
-I shopped at a new store: The Local Source Market. I've been trying to get us more local and organic foods, and this was a wonderful place to shop. The free-range bacon they sell is AMAZING.
Now that I've started doing these things, I really think I'll keep on doing them. The changes I made weren't radical, and they were ones I probably would have eventually made...but this assignment inspired me to get going on them. It just goes to show that outside of our everyday routines there are habits that are more supportive of the dreams we have and the life we want to live...if only we take the time to step outside our boxes and TRY them.
Oh, and P.S.: Last week's success tracker? I did it every day this week, and it has made a HUGE difference.
This week's Creating Dreams Come True assignment was to try something new. I couldn't take a different route to work, as my work is my life (no, really, that's what a stay at home mom is...at work all the time...luckily it doesn't FEEL like work). But I did find some fun ways to change things up a bit:
-I did a dance "workout" every single day (usually I exercise very VERY sporadically)
-I wrote a little bit of my novel every day instead of leaving it all until Sunday afternoon (SO MUCH BETTER THIS WAY!!)
-I tried a raw dessert recipe using dates (it was truffles made of ground nuts, dates, and cocoa, and it was AMAZING!)
-I crocheted instead of knitted (and I'm getting MUCH better at it! And best of all, it's SO much more babyproof than knitting!)
-I took a book into the bedroom at naptime...so that when Little Bear woke up after the first hour (which he ALWAYS does) I could lie there and read while he nursed back down. Best idea EVER.
-instead of squeezing in a shower once or twice a week I washed my hair in the sink every other day and took sponge baths...result: I was cleaner and felt more human. I'd tried this before, but this time I did it regularly.
-I shopped at a new store: The Local Source Market. I've been trying to get us more local and organic foods, and this was a wonderful place to shop. The free-range bacon they sell is AMAZING.
Now that I've started doing these things, I really think I'll keep on doing them. The changes I made weren't radical, and they were ones I probably would have eventually made...but this assignment inspired me to get going on them. It just goes to show that outside of our everyday routines there are habits that are more supportive of the dreams we have and the life we want to live...if only we take the time to step outside our boxes and TRY them.
Oh, and P.S.: Last week's success tracker? I did it every day this week, and it has made a HUGE difference.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to awaken?
In today's Wishcasting Wednesday, Jamie Ridler asks "What do you wish to awaken?"
This seems like it should be something that I could answer in seconds flat. But I can't. Maybe because I already feel like ALL of me is awakening from a fog that lasted...oh...say...18 months. But perhaps that's the key...not starting from scratch, but looking at what I'm already doing and building on that.
This month I've felt like I've walked out of black and white and into colour, as if I'm being reborn -not as a different person, mind you, but as Myself. I feel all shiny and yellow and radiant. I feel, in short, amazing. And, what's more, I feel as if this person I am becoming was always there, sleeping beneath the surface. Maybe that's the answer...
I wish to be present and mindful and joyful, appreciating every day, every breath I take, every moment I spend on this earth. And I wish to awaken the radiant being inside that beams joy out to everyone she meets, who reaches out with love and kindness, who inspires and comforts. I wish to continue on the path I'm already starting to tread, a path lined with magic and strewn with joy. And, really, I don't just wish this for me...I wish this for everyone. May we all throw our heads back and look at the sky and breathe deeply, stretching our arms wide and feeling truly IN our bodies. May we move through life seeing magic and beauty everywhere. May we reach out to each other on our journeys and hold hands as we walk into the light.
Huh...I guess I did know what my wish was after all :-)
This seems like it should be something that I could answer in seconds flat. But I can't. Maybe because I already feel like ALL of me is awakening from a fog that lasted...oh...say...18 months. But perhaps that's the key...not starting from scratch, but looking at what I'm already doing and building on that.
This month I've felt like I've walked out of black and white and into colour, as if I'm being reborn -not as a different person, mind you, but as Myself. I feel all shiny and yellow and radiant. I feel, in short, amazing. And, what's more, I feel as if this person I am becoming was always there, sleeping beneath the surface. Maybe that's the answer...
I wish to awaken ME.
I wish to be present and mindful and joyful, appreciating every day, every breath I take, every moment I spend on this earth. And I wish to awaken the radiant being inside that beams joy out to everyone she meets, who reaches out with love and kindness, who inspires and comforts. I wish to continue on the path I'm already starting to tread, a path lined with magic and strewn with joy. And, really, I don't just wish this for me...I wish this for everyone. May we all throw our heads back and look at the sky and breathe deeply, stretching our arms wide and feeling truly IN our bodies. May we move through life seeing magic and beauty everywhere. May we reach out to each other on our journeys and hold hands as we walk into the light.
Huh...I guess I did know what my wish was after all :-)
Monday, January 25, 2010
Joy Rebel Monday!
This past week's Joy Rebel assignment was called "Pick a Colour Any Colour" (only without the "U"s...I added those because I am obnoxiously Canadian). We were to pick a colour and then go through the week photographing anything that was that colour. And then Brandi gave us links to a program that would make our photos into a photo mosaic. So fun!
I picked orange. Couldn't say why, I'm not even that fond of orange, but I did find a lot of orange things around the house! Here's my collage:
OK, OK, I admit that that photo of me and Little Bear was taken several months ago, but it was on my computer and I couldn't resist! As for the rest of the photos, it was like a scavenger hunt! I kept catching sight of things I could photograph. It occurs to me that I should have dug in the fridge for the oranges and carrots, but oh well! Definitely a fun activity :)
In other news, I am having a spectacularly joyful day! Not sure why, but I am LOVING it! I seem to be surrounded by people who are reaching out to each other with love and kindness, or who are speaking out to each other in gratitude and appreciation. So much love in the world. So much beauty if we take time to see it. So much joy if we just set our radars to look for it. It makes me ache inside.
Happy Monday!
I picked orange. Couldn't say why, I'm not even that fond of orange, but I did find a lot of orange things around the house! Here's my collage:
OK, OK, I admit that that photo of me and Little Bear was taken several months ago, but it was on my computer and I couldn't resist! As for the rest of the photos, it was like a scavenger hunt! I kept catching sight of things I could photograph. It occurs to me that I should have dug in the fridge for the oranges and carrots, but oh well! Definitely a fun activity :)
In other news, I am having a spectacularly joyful day! Not sure why, but I am LOVING it! I seem to be surrounded by people who are reaching out to each other with love and kindness, or who are speaking out to each other in gratitude and appreciation. So much love in the world. So much beauty if we take time to see it. So much joy if we just set our radars to look for it. It makes me ache inside.
Happy Monday!
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