Just Remember: Drops Happen!

We are definitely well into the Christmas Season, Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice. The darkest days of the year are upon us. On the Circle of Life this is the time when we give away the beauty we have created. We release our expectations of what life SHOULD be doing and relax into what is truly happening in the present moment. We decide how we want to express ourselves. The choice is one we make for ourselves. We are empowered or dis-empowered by that choice.
If you ever think that you cannot handle all the demands of your life..that there is too much to juggle....that you are dropping the ball too much...that life seems to be dropping you...consider shifting your attitude.
"Drops Happen " is my motto, thanks to my juggling instructor, Erin Stephens, World Class competitive juggler. The jugglers in this video are kids that are my friends and neighbors. These young ones are practicing the FINESSE of risking the possibility that they may drop the ball. And they are having fun doing it. Watch this!
Merry Christmas. May all your Christmas dreams come true.

Can you Love even this?

When our son was born my friend, an experienced mom already, said something I have never forgotten. She said "Martha, children need us to love them when they are struggling, not just when they are doing well. That's when they need us the most, when they are not doing so great".
Given the apparent derailing of some of our collective American dreams right now: financial, environmental, health care, family stability, job and educational opportunities...can you love even this? It is time to love right now. More than maybe ever before in your lifetime. It is time, precicous time, to heal the beauty between us. Please join me in this thought.

Unconditional...

Many years ago...20 ish...I was at a dinner party and the conversation easily was led to a discussion about unconditional love. I was stunned. I had never had that expereince before. It seemed that was a topic for private conversations. At the same time I enjoyed myself fully. It was empowering and liberating to take unconditional love out of the "closet". Since then, I have been curious about what life would be like if we engaged in our relationships of all kinds and lived in unconditional integrity. Unconditional self acceptance. Unconditional joy, peace, etc. I've been pondering and practicing this for a long time. What are your thoughts?

Reminder from the water of life

I live in southwest Colorado. It is considered a semi desert here. We are blessed with irrigation water for our gardens and have had plenty all summer this year. When the temperatures go below freezing at night (which they have started to do now) our irrigation water is turned off and we let our gardens dry. This year that day came in the midst of political and financial "unrest". Many people expressed un-ease and a feeling of instability and insecurity.
As if to tell us all that everything will be ok, it rained all that day. Even when the security of the irrigation water was removed, the Earth Mother took over and gave us all a big quenching drink of water. The water of life.

Breaking the gratitude code

Last night I watched the 2008 Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates debate.

There is much I could say about my experience of the debate. I choose to keep most of that quiet right now. What I want to share is the overwhelming sense of gratitude I felt for the way John McCain showed me his true colors. To me he seemed arrogant, condescending, and petty. He appeared to be manipulating peoples emotions and fained sincerity. He appeared, as his running mate does, very un presidential. John McCain may be a great senator. Sarah Palin may be a terrific Governor. I am grateful because I saw and heard for myself that neither one of them connect with my values or my criteria for whom I want representing me as an American citizen at this moment in history. We have undeniable challenges facing us. We also have an uncomprehensible opportunity to create beauty and facilitate peace for ourselves and each other.
I am grateful to Senator Mc Cain because last night I became certain and centered in my decision to vote for Barack Obama. Senator Obama was able to communicate to me where he stands as my president. Senator Obama was elegant, informed, gracious and centered in his beliefs. He was in a word, presidential. I trust Barack Obama. As president he will be the best person to lead us through this challenging time. Thank you, Senator McCain.

Do Butterflies Have Ears?

Do butterflies have ears? I'm just curious.
Curiosity is one of the coach's greatest skills. In fact , I value curiosity as I engage with all life. When I open my heart to my client and invite curiosity into our session, I step into a magical space of possibility with my client. When we are curious we are more free from pre-conceived notions of how life "should" be. When we are curious we are open to surprise, delight and yes, we put ourselves at risk of not being in control. We surrender to trust, love and personal power. What are you curious about? Go out into your life today and be curious. See what lessons and insights are awaiting your discovery.

Stop and Calm Your Thoughts

Stop for a moment and calm your thoughts.
Let go of your anxieties and look around you.
What do you see?
You see a world filled with beauty.
You see a world filled with possibilities.
You see dreams being born, being nurtured and being fulfilled.
Yes, there are challenges. Yes, there is sorrow. Yes, there is hatred
and yes, violence.
But more than these is love, there is goodness, there is joy.
And that means there is no limit to how beautiful and how joyful you can
make it.
Yet, what you have is right now.
And right now is completely as it should be.
It is your time to live.
Think of what a precious thing your life is and how truly blessed you are to experience it.
Right now.
Right now any anxiety you may have about the future is an illusion.
Let it go.
Let it fade away as the beauty and perfection of right now wash over you.
The best thing you can do for the future is to live with everything you have.
In the present.
Right now, you are in a position to create real and lasting positive value for the world in which you live.
How do you do that?
By following your heart. By being the you that is really you.
You may have wandered away from your self. Now is the time to come home.
You know in your heart that you are here for a reason.
The pain you feel is that purpose, that reason for being constantly aching to break free.
When it does you will be more alive than you ever could have imagined.
Breathe in the beauty around you.
The beauty and richness of being alive is your gift.
It is your fortune.
It is your blessing.
And it is yours to live, to experience, to fulfill.
Right now.