 |  | | | Here are the latest posts from my blog. If you have any trouble viewing this email then click to view in your browser. |
| |
|
| 2019 Predictions Suggestions for your own self-care during these turbulent times.
|
- Stay centered so you don't get caught up in personal and political dramas.
- Remember that life changes.
- Invest in your mental and physical wellness. It is as good as money in the bank, maybe better
- When considering your purchases , asking the following question. Is it good for me? Is it good for the planet? Am I supporting businesses that are in alignment with my values?
- Do not take information at face value. Ask questions. Time spent researching may prove to be worthwhile. Remember that someone you know or don't know can answer or address your questions.
- Find your passion. If you don't have one, fine something that delights you to no end. We all need something that is ours, something that engages our spirit and feeds us non edible nutrients.
If you thought 2018 was intense, look out. This next year promises to be more challenging. Like the earth with its unpredictable behaviors, so is 2019. While many things remain the same, surprises are many. One of the most important things citizens can do is to find ways to find peace. Perhaps this is one reason why people flock to places of worship, practicing meditation and various modalities. People search for ways to be calm and not get caught up in all the surrounding dramas.
|
This has become the new normal. Stop being surprised. The costs spiral and along with it the devastating effects. Hearts are broken. Lives are destroyed.
|
Growing demand for a $15 an hour minimum wage continues, knowing that this is hardly a living wage.
|
They continue to be heroes.
|
This international issue won't go away. Look for some creative ways to address the complexities.
|
Not always easy to know what "healthy foods" means. Food choices and nutrition are not "a one size fits all." Warning. You may find yourself spending more time cooking at home and reading labels on cans and packages. There will be more stringent regulations and labeling disclosures in the next few years as the public demands it. Food safety becomes more and more important as the public learns about unclean and dangerous food sources.
|
Many big changes happen this year. Do not be shocked at what surprises you. There will be a day, a time, when more checks and balances are in place and accountability is foreign.
|
Protests are here to stay, at least for a long while. Momentum and camaraderie are built here. Protesters come from all walks of life and many professions. Do not be surprised if some group that you would never expect to take to the streets.
|
Two simple words-not good. The question is how bad will it get this year? It is possible that next year may be worse than 2019.
|
Give yourself the time and energy to invest in your creative talents. During these difficult times, creative endeavors can be sources of comfort and personal expression. In fact, your creative talents are calling you to give birth. Connect with that part of YOU!! It will create great energy and contribute to the peace on earth that so wants to be born and take over.
|
|  | | | | Deeper Listening Leads To Better Decision-Making |  |
- Do you have trouble really hearing what others say to you?
- Does your mind wander off in the middle of conversations to the list in your head of "stuff" that you need to get done?
- Do you find yourself embarrassed that you can’t recall what someone just told you?
- Have you made poor decisions because you weren’t paying attention to the details?
This is most of us at one time or another. In fact, it is more the norm than the exception. Could this be why when someone really pays attention and hears us, we notice it? Do we expect that we won't be heard and call people who listen "special";"unusual";skilled?" How many of us just want someone to hear us? How often have you told someone "Please just listen?"
|
Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to listen? Or is it really that difficult? Aren't the ingredients obvious? Look the person in the eye if you are in their presence. If you are on the telephone, do not do anything else while talking.
|
The biggest challenges may be convincing ourselves that we have enough time and it is worth our time to focus and not mentally . Many will not believe it until success is achieved. Until one experiences first hand the benefits and "wins"by staying present this may seem abstract. When one's life becomes richer because decision-making and intuition become clearer, the benefits become, a reality.
|
Want to try being more present? Here are a few suggestions.
|
- If you find your mind wandering, tell yourself that you will think about it later.
- Breathe slowly and deeply, and focus only on the person or situation that is in your presence.
- Write a list of what you would like to accomplish and carry it with you or post it where you can find it easily If your mind starts to wander, tell your self that your list will keep you on track. Use your list so that you build a habit of referring to it on a regular basis.
- Prioritize according to importance.
| So much of life is in the moments right in front of us in conversations, both verbal and nonverbal. Communication provides details and explanations and may add depth to our understanding. Listening can help us in business when hiring, firing, selecting clients, trouble shooting problems and more. On a personal level, staying present and listening with focused attention can enhance our lives in more ways than we can imagine. The same applies to the pets we love when we really take the time to notice them. |
| | | Spirituality and Home Depot-Two Unlikely Combinations. Maybe Not!! I was in a race to beat the upcoming heat wave that was just around the corner. So sure was I, that a deadline was set by moi. My fear was simple. The house would be unbearable if the temperatures peaked above 90, and that seemed inevitable as summer was fast approaching and high temperatures had already visited. It wasn't just the inhabitants that wouldn't be comfortable. Soon visitors would be coming, and I was not willing to let them suffer.
|
An appointment was made to install two air conditioners, one in a bedroom and one in the living room. Four more days, and it would be done. In my head,the count down had begun. The room's measurements had to be taken before the products could be purchased. At 7:30 pm the savior, Jesus the handyman, arrived. He does good work and he is honest, a combination that isn't easy to find today So, when he asked me to come along and choose the products, I wasn't about to say "no thanks."
|
I agreed to accompany him and internally every cell wanted to stay home and far away from Home Depot with its cement floor and air conditioners. The evening was aging, and I was getting tired. I did not want to be away from home. The goal was to drive to the store, purchase the units, and bring them back to the house. Jesus drove us to Home Depot. It took but a few minutes and the conversation allowed me forget my resistance to going. As soon as we walked into the store, it was obvious that Jesus had shopped at Home Depot many times. He seemed to know where to find things quickly. Once we found the air conditioners, it took him just a few minutes to use the information stored in his cell phone to make purchasing decisions.
|
Luck was with us and the check out line was impressively short. We were through in less than ten minutes. Where was everyone? Were they home watching the basketball finals? Was there some big concert in town?
|
He Understood All Too Well
|
Jesus lifted the heavy air conditioners onto the back of his truck quickly with great precision. It was a short ride back to the house and a very interesting conversation unfolded. One topic lead to another and it started with the subject of my father. "It is almost seven years since his death." I announced, realizing that June 16th would soon be here. "Sometimes I think that they don't really go very far after they leave this earth. No one seems to know but too many people have experienced seeing or sensing the presence of someone who has passed." Jesus didn't argue. I could almost hear him breathing. He was indeed listening.
|
Then I told him the story of the monarch butterflies. "We haven't seen many butterflies in the last few years, not like in previous years. A few days after my father was no longer a part of this earth, I happened to find myself in the backyard staring at the green ivy. There in the middle of the ivy were two monarch butterflies flickering for a few minutes. I was told that there is a reference to butterflies in the Bible after someone passes away."
|
There was more to the story. I wasn't the only one who saw butterflies after the death of a loved one. My good friend Susan, who lives in Wisconsin, had a very similar experience. The day after her mother departed, a butterfly landed on her leg. I heard one more butterfly tale not long after my father died when I was listening to a man being interviewed on a radio show. He too talked about seeing monarch butterflies in a yard shortly after his father departed. So, if there were three of us who experience butterflies, surely there were others with butterfly stories that have not yet been told to me.
|
|  |
Then Jesus began speaking. He was a young man in Mexico where he lived before coming to the United States. He was sitting in the family kitchen eating lunch with family members when suddenly the kitchen light flickered and the telephone rang once. It wasn't long before his family learned that his aunt had passed away, just about the same time as the lights flickered and the telephone rang.
|
| I had the feeling that he had many more stories. We had arrived and there was no more time for stories. Maybe another time. |
| | | Overwhelmed by Flour To Say that I should have known better is an understatement. I didn't bother reading he back of the bag that suggested using a tablespoon not the cup that I added into my creative concoction. This is a good lesson not to let enthusiasm supersede practicalities.
|
What did I think that ginger root floor might taste like? Had I stopped to consider the final product, I might have slowed down to imagine how all the ingredients might work together. instead my attention was focused on the combination of chocolate and ginger.
|
It is a good reminder to slow down and look at all sides of the issue.
|
By the way, somehow once my concoction had cooled down a day later, it actually tasted good, not excellent , or delicious but pretty good. Still it was too much ginger.
|
|  |
| | | February Newsletter Features- Intuition Tip
- Interview
- Relying On Instincts
- Stress Less and Do it Quickly
| | | Support For Your Goals and Dreams| Coaching in-person, by telephone or on Skype tailored to you, your dreams and ambitions. Supporting you in becoming the best possible you. No charge for the first session or two as we explore what is possible. Contact faye@innerdesignintuition.com. |
|
|
| | | |
|
