Reflections From A Retreat
Here I am, again.
Reacquainted with my Self.
Time slows down,
Here.
Here, I am in need. . .
Of rest and connection.
It always seems easier,
Here.
Here I am, ready,
To let go of all plans.
To start anew,
Here.
Here, I am centred.
I am always here,
But I’m only now,
Remembering.
Remembering.
“A waker is someone who is very good at waking other people up from their metaphorical slumber, temporary or otherwise.” – Hugh MacLeod
So, are you? A waker I mean.
I am.
I look back at my life and remember all the times I just had to rock the boat and wake people up.
Being a waker had me leave the 9-5 world and become a coach, a job that actually pays me to wake people up.
Life’s funny like that.
But being a waker isn’t necessarily an easy path in life.
As Hugh MacLeod says,
“A waker reminds you on a constant basis, just how alive you really are….And there’s something about their influence that makes you utterly unable to go back to “sleep” ever again, in spite of your best efforts.”
Think about it. . .a lot of people don’t want to be woken up. Waking up takes courage and it’s so much easier to keep your head down and play it safe.
Sometimes. . .not often, but there are moments. . .I wish I could go back to those days of being less conscious, less awake.
But not really. Continue reading
Just for today. . .
do. . .nothing
SEE your beauty
delight your senses
listen to your body
affirm your greatness
own your lusciousness
express your l o n g i n g s
choose SELF-ish over selfless
appreciate your surroundings
shine so bright people stop in awe
release old hurts, grudges and resentments
rest when you need. . .to-do list be damned
laugh – out loud and often – feel your belly shake
be in JOY
live out LOUD
expose your Self
stake your claim
forgive. . .for you
honour your needs
give up your reasons
speak softly, breathe deeply
nourish mind-body-spirit
LEAN into vulnerability
favour your strengths
express devotion
SING your tune
be who you BE
just for today. . .
just for today. . .
love with your WHOLE heart
They come out of nowhere and take you by surprise don’t they?
One did just that as I came across a wild garden at the side of a building. So many pretty flowers I thought.
These ones caught my eye; made my breath catch in my throat. They reminded me of my grandmother you see. My Nonna, the woman I was named after.
Santina. A name I wanted so badly to anglicize as a child. Now as an adult I keep it close to my heart and pull it out for special occasions.
Memories of…
Memories.
They sneak up and catch you off guard.
These ones – Hollyhocks – took me back to my childhood. I never knew what they were called, just that they grew at the side of Nonna’s house.
Today they wound their way around my heart.
Love.
Love.
It makes the world go round.
Sometimes I wonder, does it really?
I started looking. . .
Looking for love in all the right places you could say.
Love – rock solid like the concrete on which this graffiti was spray painted.
Love – days of smooth sailing along side days of stormy weather.
Love – fragile in its beauty, long-lasting when cared for.
Love – messy and uncontrolled.
Love – publicly displayed, vulnerable to the elements.
Right now…look around your world.
“When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs.
When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” – Ansel Adams
When thoughts and words become unclear where do you focus?
OR
“Trust yourself, and you will know how to live.” – Goethe
Where do you focus and how does it serve you?
Dear One,
I couldn’t sleep last night.
Someone I know died last week, a friend of the family. I didn’t know her all that well, but every time I saw her, every interaction I had with her left me feeling appreciated and acknowledged.
She was so very present, her face lighting up when she saw you. She smiled big, from deep within and seemed to squeeze the joy out of life.
I don’t even know what she accomplished in life. It’s how she lived and how she left people feeling that was extraordinary.
I thought of her last night, her death yet another wake up call.
It got me thinking about life, and how you stop yourself from really living.
I know you know what I’m talking about.
Surviving is not the same as living.
It’s actually quite easy to survive, to live with all the things you’re tolerating and all the ways you’ve suppressed yourself.
But your dreams and desires for this life?
Where do they exist amidst the toleration and survival?
Maybe you talk about them a lot, but because you rarely take action you sound like the boy who cried wolf.
Maybe you write about them…at night, in your journal, when no one’s looking.
You keep them safe and locked away.
And love. Sweet, sweet soul-nourishing love.
What about it? Do you share your love, expressing it freely?
Or do you save it for the ‘appropriate’ time.
What are you waiting for?
Sign. Art. Truth?
Whatever it is, it intrigued me enough to stop and take a photo.
I wondered at the meaning, what the artist thought when he/she came up with the idea.
I wondered what you’d come up with…
I’ve spent the past couple of months in the Life Lab (doesn’t life occur as an experiment a lot of the time?). I’ve been re-examining all aspects of my life and business, noticing my reactions, managing my emotions and asking myself a lot of questions.
It’s all about the questions (more on that later).
Do you know the 80/20 rule?
In the 19th century, an Italian economist and sociologist, Vilfredo Pareto, noticed that 80% of the wealth in Italy was held by 20% of the population. He then went on to demonstrate this to be true in other countries as well. Since Pareto’s time, this rule has been found to be true in virtually any area:
The only way to really see the 80/20 rule is to step back and look at the bigger picture, the larger perspective. When you first do this it’s mind blowing; there’s nothing quite like seeing things clearly. Seeing the forest rather than the trees!
If you don’t know what the big picture is, how can you make decisions that will lead you to your desired outcome?