Back On My Bus.......

As a follow up to my very previous post on November 7th I must share.......

The thought of exhaling, listening for the whisper and reveling in "what's next" has in fact been claustrophobic, stressful and very confusing. It hit me this morning that the holidays was a ridiculous time to seek such revelations of "finding a new" and paying attention to mindful existence beyond the Joys of Christmas. The hustle and bustle, though enjoyable in it's own right, was too consuming to think the past 8 or so weeks could be allocated for much else.

So here we are in the midst of end of the year reflection and I have to be honest I'm feeling like a hot mess! Phew letting it out feels a bit better. It is my self imposed pressure (once again) to desire an end result, how to get there, all the while not quite certain what IT even is! 

I have to imagine that I am not the only one feeling like this???... emotionally and physically exhausted, scattered and sluggish from eating too many sweets, carbs and not so healthy food?? The task of making "things right" again is daunting and feeling far from my reach.

Well it did feel far from my reach until I sat down today and reread some of my previous blog posts and was reminded of the process and steps that have encouraged and made a difference for me in the past. I have in fact felt this very way and moved through it to a place that feels much more comfortable and welcoming. 

Ironically what I was taking a break from (posting to this blog), was what helps me stay balanced and in check I guess. As I read through, the "getting back on track" felt a bit more attainable! Like seeing a long lost friend, I welcomed the feelings of familiarity.

As I have mentioned several times before, the ups, downs and let's not forget sideways, are all part of Life's journey! My goal has always been to share mine with you, opening up as much as feels comfortable. Unfortunately, some where along the way it got muddied up and I lost sight of the process, questioned myself to a fault and needed to retreat a bit.

Realizing that NOT sharing the "muddied up" part can actually be a disservice for both of us...which is far from my reason for posting.

So the take away from today's posting Dear Readers: If you too are feeling stuck, sluggish and befuddled, don't be confused and overwhelmed by feeling it will last forever. Instead take the opportunity to make choices, changes and begin the process of "feeling better" mentally and physically.

Best place to start is: 1. Be kind to yourself and don't expect speediness and answers right away. Perhaps if we had a decoder ring the job would be easier...but quite honestly it would not be as rewarding. 
         
2. Read this previous post that offers motivation & encouragement.
Do You Need A Band Aid 

3. Pick a person ~ be each others cheerleader. We all have something we are working on and knowing we are not alone makes it so much easier & much more fun.

4. Select one or two things you will make happen (daily or weekly) either at all or more than you are now. 

Here goes, I'll start with: For me I've realized it's important to be feeling my best inside and out to take on discoveries and journeying. In an effort to make that happen, I will unplug more. Facebook and Words With Friends time will be diminishing. Damn technology for being such a time zapper! AND I will "move" more...can't come right out and say exercise because that's just setting myself up to fail....been there, done that!

Go ahead and get back on your bus...even if you are not sure where it's going just yet. Surprises and rewards await you!!

Shhh...Can You Hear It???

Sometimes in the the quiet we can hear so much! The whisper becomes a little louder, the message becomes a little clearer! So why is it that if silence provides answers, we do not seek it more regularly?

Through some soul searching and deciphering, I have realized, for me, it is because often the whisper and the message feel unknown, uncomfortable and unsettling...but through each of those feelings something new, exciting and rewarding can be revealed. 

I'm feeling it's time for me to take a mini hiatus from writing....though posting hasn't been regular, it has remained as a "get to that would ya"!

I will listen for whispers and challenge the uncomfortable, in the belief that I will revel in the sweet rewards...for both myself and others. 

Follow your hearts Dear Readers and to quote my amazing, free spirited 18 year old son "you do you"!

You Have To Really Want It......

Top of Mt. Wilson ~ California

OK so here's the thing...I have started numerous posts in the last two days (after returning home from flying cross country to see my oldest son) and each post goes in a direction different from my original intent. 

This is it...the message I want to share today Dear Readers is, "when you think there is something you cannot do, because of fear, obstacles or personal labels...think again".

Yes, it will be very difficult, get ugly and feel like there is no way you can accomplish it....but keep in mind, beyond it is where you want to be, and YOU CAN get yourself there! 

Take comfort and strength in knowing "there is freedom pass the fear"! It doesn't necessarily feel like it at the time, and perhaps it's in the reflecting once the numbness and the feeling you've been hit by a mac truck begins to subside...but you will come to that moment when you realize, freedom from the fear is within your reach! 

You've got this...you have to really want it...and this mama really wanted to see her boy!

Gentle Reminder.........

My husband (of 26 years...yikes) and I left this past Friday night with a weekend get away plan.......Disconnect to stay connected!

With Life wildly busy and chock full of things to do, we decided to sneak away for a weekend of very limited technology...no nonsense talk about all we have to do for our upcoming events or discuss decisions we need to make regarding emptying the septic, how damp the basement is and if anything is growing down there or the hole that has been in the dining room ceiling for over 6 months from when I jumped up to see if the "spot was still wet from the upstairs bathroom leak" and my fingers poked right through....who knew I could jump with such great force! 

Leaving those and all similar topics aside, we headed out for a weekend by the water to share in relaxation and connecting!

Full length conversations, reflections of years gone by and sharing dreams and future plans, along with laughter, sunrises, reading for hours and yummy food...started to work their magic.

We felt stresses drift away and a peacefulness wash over us, offering a sense of new energy to bring home with us. Now that's a souvenir! 

As the trip came to a close, I was reminded that all that we enjoyed is also at our fingertips at home. OK not the ocean...but the disconnecting from technology and each curling up with a book, chatting about "fun stuff" and   limiting conversation of all that is on our TO DO lists from time to time (I will try and stop jumping, so that should help)

Make the effort too Dear Readers and feel the benefits it provides. It makes the mundane and day to day feel just that bit easier to handle and perhaps the sink full of dirty dishes won't make you shout from the roof top "for the love of all things human....am I the only one who knows how to use the dish washer!!!!"  Or is that just me who gets cranky sometimes??

Strength In The Darkness.............

Sometimes beauty is in front of us, like these heartfelt sunflowers I came home to. With their punch of color & promise of happiness each time I look at them, I smiled and gave thanks.

Beauty and Blessings are not always this easy to see, and I feel the searching during times of darkness can truly reveal the breath of life we are so needing to find.

Words of encouragement to family, friends and you Dear Readers who may need a reminder that the Blessings are there..and for now if you need...you can use this sunflower and the promise of times getting easier and you feeling stronger because of it and being reminded of how strong you truly are!

James Taylor Wisdom.....................

As summer winds down here on the East Coast (by the calendar anyway...not by the forecast) I think about what I accomplished and didn't the past couple of months! 

In the "not so much" category was housework... which is fine by me, because quite honestly summer and housework should only be in the same sentence if separated by the words "not a priority to me".

So this morning, to kickoff Labor Day weekend I decided to do just that, a bit of labor, for an hour. I cranked 'ole reliable James Taylor and got to sprucing up the place.

My take away from the task was much more about the music and much less about what I was doing. 

JT's words resonated and spoke to me...once again!

My favorite for today was the line "the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time, any fool can do it....."! How great & true is that!?!? If you'd like to give a listen, here is a great version on YouTube: 

Take a moment Dear Readers and think about how you can make it part of your own life. Make choices that enhance your days.

Let the house work, or whatever your "thing" is, go from time to time...listen to your heart and make happen all you can to create a Lifetime of enjoying the passage of time.

It's a beautiful way to Connect With Your Life!

Thanks Mr.Taylor..words to live by!

Sprinkles A Must ..............

                                  It Starts With A Dream.........

Recently had a great conversation with a friend! I explained my theory of filling parts of your days/ nights/ weekends, whenever you can.... with things that feed your soul and adds purpose!

As a result it makes the things you don't want to be doing....work, errands, housework, you name it, a bit more do able.  For example while at work and wanting to be doing something else, I have started shifting my thoughts and taking a portion of my earnings and designating it for goals. Gives more meaning to putting in time at work, knowing a piece of it has a bigger meaning than just paying bills of now.

So for me, of late, it has been daydreaming and goal setting my future filled with a bit of entrepreneurship, touching lives and artful endeavors with my live in artist in residence, I love calling my husband!

My thought is this...whatever I want to do with my life needs to start with desire...sprinkled with daydreaming, believing, planning and a notebook to capture it all. From magazine clippings, to spewing ideas and capturing them in words, to saving money along the way....I'll get there...and either way, the process is a whole lot of fun and more what it is about!!! 

So get to sprinkling Dear Readers. It's a great way to Connect With Your Life! 

Get Lost...............

       Make it a point to get lost in the clouds ........

Lost in a dance....

Lost in a kiss......

    Because when we get lost......we can really find ourselves!

Patio Pleasures..............

Getting unstuck this morning!

My previous post spoke of getting stuck in our lives! In order to "snap out of it" we need to make conscious choices. Now I'm not talking overhauls...that's a whole other direction (that I mentally play around with and will write about at another time). 

I'm talking about small tweaks to our day that makes us smile, adds levity to the mundane and brings a bit of joy to both ourselves and others....we are just more pleasant to be around. 

Today I made a choice to get up a bit earlier to sit on the patio (after smiling in bed with my eyes closed and committing to making an effort today...which only makes sense if you read my previous post) 

That 15 minutes on the patio, feeling the coolness of the day (expected to hit 90 degrees today) watching a tiny brown squirrel jump from tree to tree and a bunny eat my perennials (REALLY bunny??? ok....happy place....happy place) allowed me to be in the moment and provide something for me to draw from later in the day.

Find your little somethings, Dear Readers! Feel the moments of joy they can bring...The choice is yours!

Finding Change.......

Taking a ride..to change the scenery

There are many ways to get stuck! In mud, in a situation, in traffic or how about stuck in a zippered dress in a store changing room that you really thought you could squeeze into?!... No! me neither on that last one!

The STUCK I am talking about today is..... in Life! That's me every once in a while! Hadn't originally realized it on my own, but in fact I was.... stuck in the routine of my days, just going along and not hearing the whispers. The whispers of gratitude and inspiration go missing, so I had thought....in fact they were there all along!

During one of these times a Dear Friend said to me "you're stuck"! and it resonated a big 'ole Cher in Moonstruck moment..."Snap Out Of It"!!! (see that clip here)

Dear Readers, we all get stuck and I believe we all have the ability to ease those times....I have found incorporating simple tips into my day, the stuck times are less frequent and the less stress is greater! Worth a try?   Here's one I like... smile upon waking in the morning (ideally before opening your eyes) feel that quick moment of silliness and commit to making an effort to approach things differently today! 

Throughout the day, allow yourself to take four seconds to decide before something bothers you. Consciously decide... is it worth it?? Letting it go will deposit "change" into your emotional bank to draw from. The more you deposit clearly the more you have!

In my next few posts I will share suggestions for you to consider adding to your Life! Together we've got this ~  Connect With Your Life!

Cheers!
Maria

The choice is yours.....the beauty in doing so?....it comes back to you and you want to do it more!

Pursue Your Aspirations............

"It is about you living with a sense of greater freedom to express your voice and pursue your aspirations!"  ~ Author Tara Mohr 

The above sentence jumped off the page while reading Playing Big: Find Your Voice, Your Mission, Your Message. I felt an immediate connection and empowerment!

There is a cautiousness, that comes along with expressing yourself! It is in the letting go of the notion that others need to approve, understand or accept, that allows for a sense of true freedom to ring. For me, if my choices come from a place which includes, consideration and compassion towards others, I will be on the right path for me.

I share the sentence with you Dear Readers, in the hopes that you too find freedom to express yourself and pursue your aspirations. And remember, it is the questioning, discovering and trying new paths, that we truly grow and find our voice and aspirations! It doesn't happen overnight, it doesn't happen easily and it certainly doesn't always look pretty....but what IT DOES, is come from a genuine place within..... and following your heart is the best place to start.

Stronger for doing so  ~ Happier for doing so ~

Found....

Yesterday at 6:18 AM I found myself and thought I should reveal my location since I haven't been posting lately.

Being out of sorts, due to "Life coming at me", at what feels like rapid fire, I have felt overwhelmed....functioning certainly, but feeling lost just the same. Flipping through a book I randomly picked up off my bookshelf, I found a folded photocopy of a book page, tucked between the pages....just waiting to be discovered!

The first two paragraphs provided me insight and comfort as I interpreted the words in front of me. I share them now, with certainty that others can relate and perhaps find comfort in them too.

"You may know about riptides or rip currents. These are strong currents (1 to 5 miles per hour) near the shore and near the surface of the water. Rip currents pull you out to sea. People do not usually drown from rip currents, if they do not try to fight it by swimming directly toward shore. If you do try to fight it, you will tire because a rip current is much stronger than you are. Once you are exhausted you sink (you are not pulled) under the water...End of story.

So if fighting a rip current is not the smart thing to do, what is? Lifeguards would tell you to relax when a rip current catches you because you can keep yourself afloat easily - you dog paddle for a while, you do the backstroke for a while, you tread water for a while - and you wait. A rip current does not pull you under, it only pulls you out for a bit. So you are safe as long as you float. Soon the current will die out and you are free to swim to shore."

So at the moment Dear Readers I will enjoy floating along, as I heal this body and mind for a few more weeks. And quite honestly....it is the being out to sea in rocky waters that reminds me how amazing things are back on shore and so glad that is the direction I am going in. 

~ Be kind to yourself ~ the current will pass & on solid ground you will be!

Spring Has Arrived..

Spring has made it's way back to New England. Not just on the calendar, but in real life! Timing didn't match up this year at all! It was a long and testing winter, filled with LOTS of snow and frigid temperatures for longer than any of us were amused by.

Along with it came trying times to stay positive and see the good. I am the first to admit that it is not always easy to stay in a Connect With Your Life frame of mind....but I do believe there are many advantages in doing so and I continue to make it a priority each day.

A very important component is to be aware of the simple beauty around us. These welcoming Crocus' a couple of weeks ago were my lifeline that Spring was finally making it's way to me. 

Taking the time to slow down and see them was just the gentle reminder I needed. A quiet 5 minute walk around the front yard did just the trick to center my scattered thoughts, recharge my tired mind and resume the glass to half full.

By being connected and taking  a bit of time, we are prepared to face the obstacles and responsibilities that often drain and zap our positive energy. 

So Dear Readers take a few moments each and every day to notice the beauty and Blessings around you. They have been placed before you for encouragement and motivation to take a breath, be in the moment and Connect With Your Life!

Peace,
Maria

    One of my beliefs, ok maybe a handful of my beliefs, but they work in unison: 

Give others the benefit of the doubt

Be gentle with judgement towards others

 Choose your words carefully

 

and here comes the clincher that pulls it all together...

Treat YOURSELF with these same redeeming qualities!

Make The Time.................

There is something I frequently hear when presenting my Connect With Your Life talks,
"I feel guilty taking time for me" and the other obstacle I hear "I have too much to do to fit one more thing in, especially if it's for me". I get that, I was there once too. Now I think hogwash!...You've Got This!

My experience has been taking time to recharge my cell phone is essential if I want it to function properly. See where I'm going with this...It is ALSO essential to recharge ourselves if we want to function properly.

Make heartfelt time for yourself Dear Readers! Feel a flicker of Joy fill your heart while taking time for you and also as you think about creating time again tomorrow. I'm talking start small, even 10 minutes makes a difference ~ a journey starts with a step and gets easier with each one.

Here are a few things I have on my S.O.S list (Something Of Substance)

Talk on the phone with a girlfriend! No work, no stress, no medical complaints allowed. Just some fun lighthearted conversation filled with laughter that recharges us both!

Relax with a journal/ notebook. Write random thoughts, feelings, wishes and 5 things I am thankful for. This winter on the east coast there was a whole lot of wishing for warmer weather and less snow. I let my writing take me to summer " Must Do For Fun" ideas which included planting a veggie garden and going to outdoor concerts!

Play like I did as a little girl. Color ~ Slinky ~ Jacks ~ Pick Up Sticks ~ Paper Dolls. I went to the store a few years ago and bought a bagful of treats from my childhood. Oh and an Etch~A Sketch. Buying these things made me smile, taking them out brings on a smile and just seeing them when I open the closet makes me smile. It is a reminder that I took time to do some whimsical shopping that mattered to me. No guilt there!

Dance! Find a song that makes you want to move and just do it! The silly awkward feeling will pass, endorphins will kick in and you will be on your way to a happy place....if even for just a bit.

So go ahead, make your own S. O. S list and get started. Let what ever is holding you back go...and feel the sweet reward when you take time for YOU!

Peaceful Reserve.......

Greetings! Thanks for stopping by for tips and respite from the hectic and often stressful feelings we all experience on a day to day basis. 

Starting to become mindful of the "pile up" that can cloud and distract you from feeling connected, is a step towards easing, what I call "static in my mind".

In order to Connect With Your Life it is important to take a break and take a breath. 

There is importance/benefits in taking even just a few minutes periodically, to exhale, acknowledge what you greatly value and believe THERE IS a place of calm within you. 

I use a great App on my phone called "Take A Break ~ Guided Mediation". It's free at the App Store. It provides 5-10 minutes of a soothing voice to break the momentum of the hectic sometimes hamster wheel thoughts, while redirecting and creating a calming feeling in just a few minutes, allowing me to get me back on track.

Our goal is to store up a reserve of calm and peace, available to draw from when we need it. I have found this practice of recognizing, resting a moment and then redirecting, works well for me.

Give it a try! Find what works for you and create a peaceful reserve to draw from. It's worth figuring out!

Please also visit my original blog More Than Mom Thoughts for additional inspiration!

Batten the Hatch.......

Yikes! It has been longer than I would have liked since my last post. My world has been tossed a bit, and as a result, my schedule and routine are all askew.

Here's what I would like to share today. When Life comes at you fast and stress is at a level that takes away your breath, know that .....You Will Be OK! 

The importance of staying connected in your life and knowing how to manage your own stress, plays a major role in stabilizing the rapid fire, rushing thoughts, that are all so often crushing.

Put into practice your own relaxing techniques BEFORE the inner storm hits. That way you can put them into action as soon as you need them.

Here is my go to:

Listen to relaxing nature sounds/ instrumental or meditative music to sooth and distract

Close your eyes to block out light and visual distractions

Relax and rotate shoulders to release tension and get blood flowing (helps with brain fog...or is that just me who gets that???)

Focus breath for five: Smell the roses & blow out the candles!  Heard that from a Mom to her upset  daughter, it was so very tender.


Whatever works for you, should be at the ready. Take it from me Dear Readers, I live it  first hand.......you will find peace in the practice as well as peace in the panic.  You've got this!!

Your Time........

"The future is not some place we are going, but one we are creating. The paths are not to be found, but made. And the activity of making them changes both the maker and their destination." ~ John Schaar

The creating process to your future begins to unfold as you put into motion the steps to Connect With Your Life! My discovery on this journey has been that there is a strength and momentum that starts to build once you do, and an eagerness takes over.

What will you do today Dear Readers that will strengthen your heart, bring you comfort and ultimately continue to assist you on your journey to Connect With Your Life?

Here's a couple of ideas I enjoy:

 ~ Write a letter to YOU!  One that is encouraging and kind. A letter that offers acceptance at whatever point you are in in your Life. Playful and silly or heartfelt and tender. Taking the peaceful time to create such a letter offers an opportunity to quiet your mind and allow a calmness to wash over you.

~ Magazine time. Clip out words, pictures, anything that captures YOU. Start a collection, add to it whenever you like.... see what it reveals about YOU! I will share more on this activity in a future post. Or check out an upcoming Expression Book class I am giving by going to this link.

So often it's not about exactly what you do, it's the fact that you do SOMETHING heartfelt, something that allows a shutting out of the chaos and an opening of your heart and mind.

Your time is now!

What Makes Your Heart Stir................

"Find the thing that stirs your heart and make room for it. Life is about the development of self to the point of unbridled joy."
~ Joan Chittister

There are so many benefits once you allow yourself to take the journey. Here's how I got started!

1. Acknowledge wanting to Connect With Your Life as a means of discovering what in fact makes your heart stir, what brings you joy!

2. Find your own way to relax.. meditation, yoga, focused breathing, whatever works best for you. With stress at a minimum you are more open to possibilities and discoveries. You are more connected!

3. Make it a priority to explore and discover interest options available to you. You know we can all carve a bit of time each week for something so important. It can be as easy as looking through magazines and online resources like here on wikiHow or how about free writing? (where you capture your aspirations without thinking too much.."spew" writing I like to call it) Allocate time each week and let the "stirring" begin!

Be open to many options, participate in your life and know that this is an evolving journey, and there can be joy all along the way.

Now please excuse me while I go check out a website regarding button collecting!

Snowy Blessings.................

" There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, 

a quiet joy." ~ Ralph H. Blum

      Notice the Blessings ~ Feel the calmness  ~ Feel the quiet joy