HEART'S CRY

Today's (o.k. yesterdays) is to teach something.  I am studying positive reinforcement from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. Did you 80-95% of the thoughts you think are naturally negative?  Is this the way you want to live?  If the average number of daily thoughts range between 40,000 and up and we know it is up to us to renew our mind and change our brain; do you agree this is the place to begin? I am not a positive affirmation kind of girl. It seemed fake to me and I could never do it authentically.  However, I have learned to change the stories I"m telling myself (which is pretty much the same thing) such as "that is so unlike me."  I would prefer re-framing as a strategic approach.  Choosing liberating versus limiting thoughts to dwell on.  Choosing to believe the positive intention of those around me.  I honestly believe most people are very good and want to know me and be nice to me.   I choose to believe th...

Freedom is a core value for me. As I think about what it means to me, I wanted reflect on others' definitions and quotes. To take the time to understand our core values helps us have to resolution to follow our path.  Merriam Websters defines freedom this way : the quality or state of being free: such as a : the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action b :  liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another :  independence c : the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous <freedom from care>d :  ease , facility <spoke the language with freedom>e : the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken <answered with freedom>f : improper familiarity g : boldness of conception or execution h : unrestricted use <gave him the freedom of their home> Freedom means opportunity, flexibility, living with abandon, adventure, ability, auton...

Today's challenge is to write a list.  Any list.  Where to begin?  Deep breath.  With support from a wonderful coach, I am trying to think about my challenges differently.  How can I use my strengths to support those areas I need to work on?  One of the areas of extreme challenge for me is around details.  My coach encouraged me to re-frame and amazingly I have found this powerful!  You see, I am a big picture person.  I long for the whole picture and seeing how items connect and link together. This list will be around creating a system and procedure for these details.   Scheduling Scheduling meetings with individuals and teams Scheduling driving time Scheduling time for planning, development and follow up Scheduling time for thinking Scheduling time for billing Scheduling timelines Scheduling phone calls Scheduling time for development of training Writing narratives and next steps Writing follow up emails Writin...

Today's challenge is to write about what we know.  To describe in detail a very important day in my life.  I thought about 1989 when I married my amazing man.  Then 1991, 1993 and 1996 when I understood a mother's love.  Or what about my adoption day or graduation or the first day we brought Frosty (our mare) home.  Then I knew what I needed to write about. The day I met my birth Dad for the first time. It's a long story and a fairy tale at that.  To write about my first day, you have to know how amazing all of my parents are to make this first day possible.  Having grown up for parents is a really good thing! The phone call. I called him.  Finally. I had his phone number.  I had talked to his mom and my new found sister. (He told me later he felt he didn't have the right to enter my life and waited for me to call.  His Vicki said he was really anxious and didn't wait patiently!  I had looked for him over the years without...

Free writing.  What a concept.  Writing for the joy and the freedom of writing. Silencing my inner critic.  This nasty judge.  The judge with the rolled eyes and furrowed eyebrows who looks at me out the corner of one eye. The "are you stupid" look or the "what are you thinking" look. The limiting beliefs rattling around in my head.  My English teacher who told me writing was not for me.  I am too verbose and too unyielding with words.  My friend's words who said, "writing is not for everyone."  The biggest thief of joy and courage...me. So today I write.  Just what is in the two inch picture frame of Anne Lamont's book "Bird by Bird."  I have that frame.  It sits on the edge of my desk....in the other room.  As much as I love my new "old" desk, I find the window by my dining room table a joy. It is dark, cloudy and news of snow.  However, three fat and spunky squirrels and about 150 small birds are feasting on b...