Starburst blossoms

I love going out to my garden and enjoying the spectacle of life...

Each day small miracles of wonder,
Scents, colors and flavors to savor.
Celebrations of love's labor.

Gentle reminders of the time it takes to create bounty and beauty.

The magic of intention

Magic happens...

As you take your journeys this summer
into the canyons and rivers of your life desire,
what is just below the surface waiting to be honored?

Create an intention.
You might be surprised by what transpires.

Imagination transforms

Ah, summer...

...when the days linger
and the imagination takes flight.

...the long, languid nights
when dreams can take root
as you toast the moon.

How might your imagination transform your life?

Joining together with humor

What if you didn't take
your relationships so seriously?

How simple could it be?

Do you remember?

Beyond limits

There's a crack in the wall.
Do you see it?
Yes, there it is.

What if you dared to step through
and run with the wind?

Fantasy & fun

I love to explore the textures, forms and juxtapositions of life.

Depth of joy
in the ease of time
swimming with the fishes
singing in rhyme.

The world awaits you

As a child I loved going over to my aunt's house in the summer. They had big doors that swung open into the yard.

I loved the feeling of pushing the doors,
feeling them swing open with a mighty push
and feeling the wonder of the world on the other side.

Today I love to climb to a mountain top
just to sit there and breathe in the immense possibility.

Taking care...giving time

our world is so full
of this and that
of push and pull
in and through
out and with

take time
take ease
to be with
to be in

the gentle place
where self is nourished
and care is given

in the midst
of all that swirls
around us.

What's your vision?

The Journey

We can see where we are.
We can often dream where we want to be.

The magic is to be ready to step into the fog.
To trust the unknown.

The wonder...
The surrender...
The mystery...

Let the journey take form
as you move toward your most
deeply held truth.

No matter what!
Then be who
you are
most meant to be.

The first step is there
before you.

Floods and parking don't mix

Yes, indeed, this image really has sparked some reactions. Some find it quite disturbing. Others see it as a flood of chocolate.

This is what I love about creating this deck --- seeing the reactions it inspires.

What does it inspire in you?

Foundation of strength

When you allow what you are and
couple that with a passion for what you offer amazing things will come your way.

Totems in action

Cats are amazing creatures.
They carry a sense of self pride and dignity.
They are unapologetic in their ways.
They don't seek approval, but rather look for places to lounge.
They can meld into the landscape.
They unabashedly sit wherever they want.
They go where they will,
Yet will come back again, and again.

And fierceness...oh my!
They live in the truth that...
In one moment they can be gently purring, enjoying an afternoon caress,
The next, ready to pounce on a bird while graceful and poised.

They don't try to please.
They enjoy what is.
They see what they want, and go after it.

Being one with...and within

The screen between
is as porous or dense
as you choose it to be.

Wonderland awaits you

Follow the trail
into the land of wonder
where mystery and magic
dance in delight of the moon.

Staying in flow

As you begin to work your plan, try to stay in flow.

Trust your vision.
Keep your focus.
Remember your vision.

It can be easy to get distracted.
It can be tempting to let fear get the best of you.

With each step, new opportunities will unfold.
As you build on to each part of your plan, your confidence will grow, your connections will increase and the process will become easier.

And remember, your plan will change. But without a plan, you will be adrift in the wind, and never really find your flow.

My suggestion:

1. Put aside time in your calendar to work on each step of your plan.
2. Get a support team.
3. Write your vision BIG so you remember why you're doing your plan.
4. Celebrate the small steps along the way. They are the steps that will make the biggest difference in the end.
   

Parts of a plan

With this week focused on creating a plan, I chose this card because it represents how I segment my own plan.

I find that everyone has their own style of planning. As a coach, my job is to help them make their plan in a way that works with how they think, act and connect with others. If we try to work someone else's plan, it can be very difficult. And, actually, many people give up.

So, this is my style. You will have your own. What's important is that you know what it is, write it down and work the plan.

When I create a plan, I like to keep a 'soft focus' on my vision, and let my plan take the foreground.

I always write at the top of the page what I am aiming to achieve. Just like my climbs in West Virginia (as mentioned in the last post), I want to keep my goal in mind.

Then I think...

1) PREPARATION

If I am seeking a professional position, I consider:
~ What research do I need to do to find companies that best fit my vision?
~ What materials do I need to get together to demonstrate my ability?
~ How can I best connect with the people I want to meet?

If I am launching a business or a service, I consider:
~ Where does my clientele go for their life services?
~ Who might I partner with to serve their needs?
~ What is the best way to reach my intended audience?
~ What can I offer them?
~ What materials do I need to get together to demonstrate my ability to support the needs of my clients and the desires of potential partners?

2) OFFER
Once I've done my research, I think, "What can I offer that serves them?"

Seeking a professional position:
~ What skill set is best for what they need?
~ How can I frame it in a way that addresses their needs?

Launching a business or a service:
~ What workshop, coaching or seminar might I offer to them and their clients?
~ How can I help them meet their goals?

By having a sense of what is important to them, I can get a better 'hold' on what they need and how I can be of service.

3) CONNECT

And yes, personally connecting must be part of the plan. We will talk about that more later, but here's the bottom line: the more I know about the person/organization, the easier it is to connect. If I know them, like them and respect what they are up to AND am committed to achieving my vision, then the act of connecting is so much easier.

For me, the connecting piece is much like climbing the rocks in West Virginia. If I've done my research and considered what I have to offer, then I am able to renegotiate my footing as the conversation unfolds.

That's my way of planning. What's yours?

Entering the land of THE PLAN

The truth about 'The Plan':

When I was in college, I spent much of my time in West Virginia rock climbing. It was one of the best trainings I've had for creating 'a plan'.

As we'd approach the rock face, we'd gather 'round and assess the situation. First we'd take in the rock. Sometimes there was a silent awe. Sometimes we had a giddy excitement. We'd talk about why we wanted to climb this rock, this day. Perhaps it was that the view would be awesome. Or maybe, it was for the sheer challenge of the climb. On lazier days, it was simply to enjoy the rock and keep it easy.

Each time, though, we had a goal in mind.

Then we'd plan our route. We'd try, as best we could, to figure out where we could get good hand holds and good footing. We'd talk about the areas where we might be challenged. And people who'd been there before would share their 'trials and tribulations'. There'd be a lot of talking, looking, considering...and then...off we'd go into the land of the climb.

Once the land of the climb was entered, all the planning in the world could not prepare us for what lay ahead. But without a plan, we would not have been psychologically prepared to make adjustments along the way.

I vividly remember, on one particularly challenging climb, clinging to the rock, unable to find my next handhold or my next footing. From down below I could hear my brother calling to me, "It's to your right. It's to your right". From his angle the sun created the illusion of a ledge. Where I was, there was nothing.

For a moment I got very scared. Although I was secured by a rope, the idea of trying to find my way down was more distressing than finishing my climb upwards. So, I took a breath. I tried to dim the noise of the 'helpful tips' and remember back to our discussions before I began. I steadied my hold with my feet and one arm, then slightly leaned back to see where I wanted to go and how I might get there. I breathed again. I called out, "I've got it", hoping that assurance would silence my overly eager brother. Ahh, it worked! Silence below.

I breathed again.
I looked up and looked where I wanted to go.
I relaxed and remembered...step by step, hold by hold.

I let my fear go and my body see the way.
As I started to climb again, I could feel my resolve return and my confidence grow.
Soon, I was moving with greater ease and a clearer focus.
When I got to the top and looked back down...that was a proud moment!

So many people forget to take the time at the beginning to assess where they want to go. The truth is, once you're on your way, the plan will change, guaranteed. But with a plan, you have the resources to make adjustments along the way.

As you start your plan, what's your 'rock' to climb?
Where do you want your climb to take you?
What are some of the 'handholds' you'll need along the way?

And then...get ready to enter the mystery about to unfold.

Honoring the SHE who wants to be

My last card of the week...this week dedicated to self care in preparation for planning my next step...is "Honoring the SHE who wants to be."

As I dive into the week of self care and self honoring, I feel this sense of who I want to be starting to take form. At first it is a shadowy image, not yet in full focus.

If you look down in the right hand corner, you can see a smaller image. In my mind this is the tuning and adjusting I am doing during my self care phase.

Much like the color on my TV, or the volume, or the contrast keys on my computer screen...but deeper in my soul.

Now that I've named what aspects of myself I want to turn up, turn down or, as I'm finding this week, turn off, I am ready to take baby steps toward my vision.

I call this the shadowy phase of transforming our desires by reprogramming how we live our Self. We watch so many images before us. We project ourselves into characters on TV, in the movies and on stage. Taking time for self care is about reclaiming our self and projecting our fullest self into our life.

It's oh so easy to think we can be who we've always been and get a different result. But the truth is, the world doesn't change until we do.

So...what 'baby' steps will you take this week?
What 'grown-up' steps will you commit to this week?

As you do, take a moment to acknowledge the step.
Notice what happened when you did.
Breathe it in.
And be ready - some can be kind of 'scary' at first.
Others are stunningly thrilling.

Welcome to the most powerful ride of your life!

Next...the plan.

The importance of anger in self care

"Huh?"...you might ask. "What does anger have to do with self care? Isn't self care about feeling good?"

Absolutely. And to get there, you might need to begin with a fearless self inventory of the hidden and unhidden anger.

Here's why: If we don't own our anger, it will seep out and lash out in ways that will infect our desire to connect with compassion, wonder and self truth.

To truly do what you love in ways that honor you, it is important that you recognize that which is no longer serving you and the things that get you angry. When you hold anger, you are holding on to that which will keep you guarded. When you hide behind anger, you avoid owning what you want and who you really are.

As you step out to create the life, career, work or relationship you really want, it's vital to recognize where you are holding anger and own your own complicity in it. Odd, but anger can be such a dazzling friend for those who want to live the lie of blame.

This weekend during my retreat, I took some time to notice the things that I am angry about. Not just the global, political issues - more the personal, interpersonal and professional laundry lists of subtle and loud anger. Hmmmm. It is quite eye opening.

Then I asked, "which are keeping you safe in your womb of guarded protection?"

As I created my list, I found myself creating a new contract for myself. As I began to write it down...and yes, I do recommend writing it...I made a list of 10 things that are vital for me to thrive.

When I honor these I find myself loving my life and my work:

• Reach out in a personal, meaningful way.
• Work with people who can hold fear and fun simultaneously.
• Having multiple projects at the same time to balance creativity and structure, individuals and groups, business development & personal growth..
• Work and partner with people who can laugh at themselves.
• Take time each week to reflect on an unexpected harmonious moment.
• Bring diverse people together for a common purpose.
  

And now, it's your turn.

Whether you are recrafting your life, job hunting or business building, this can change the way you connect in the world.

1. Name what you are angry about in your personal, professional and relational life.
2. Be honest, and list the ones you are hiding behind to keep from being exposed.
3. Which are you ready to let go of?
4. What do you most enjoy that will help you thrive?
5. Create a contract for yourself.
   

With love!

Letting life float with ease

With the theme of self care this week, I chose this card because of its lightness and ease.

When I created this card, I thought of the wings of the feminine. The simple, gentle grace of life when the weight is lifted.

This week as I rest my mind and allow my spirit to simply 'be,' I find such a desire to just lay back into the breeze of life and float on the wind.

Having this time on retreat has made me realize just how much my spirit needed a slight space to rest, sleep, steep and float.

Ah...I'm realizing how essential float time is for me. Without it, my heart and head feel constricted and the demands of everyday living weigh heavily on my spirit.

As I breathe into this image, my shoulders relax, my mind settles, and I can deepen my trust in allowing what will come, as it should.

What happens for you when you let go of the stresses and strains?
Where would you like to give yourself the luxury of a nice 'floating' moment?
How might your life expand if you did?

Letting nature tell me

This week's theme is self care.

In this time of colossal transformation, I feel called to step up my work and to work with people who are ready to step up theirs. I am drawn to work with people who are up to the challenge of creating their life passion.

Last week, I talked about the importance of taking time to vision. This week, as I soak in my vision and retune my focus, I find it essential to take some serious time for SELF CARE.

If I don't align my self care with my vision, I get overwhelmed with the scope of what I aim to create. Self care gives me a chance to lean back into me and be in my body...gently, compassionately and purposefully.

This week as I lay back into my retreat I am surrounded by nature.
My room is situated so that it feels like I am in a tree fort.
Ah...the kid in me loves it.

As I lay on the floor, lean back into the couch and listen to the gentle crackle of the fire...yes, here in these shaded woods a fire is necessary at night...

I am asking myself:
~ what is working in my life?
~ what's not?
~ what do I want to keep?
~ what is holding me back?
~ where are the drains and strains?
~ what gives me joy?

Self care provides an important opportunity to reflect on this before I start to formulate my plan. When my plan emerges from what most honors me and my vision, it is easier to create and my chance of following it increases exponentially.

What questions does your body and soul yearn for you to ask?

And how might those impact the relationships you build, the jobs you seek or how you build your business?

Vision from the heart is the best vision of all!

There are a number of schools of thought about visioning and creating what you want. One is that you go out in the world, see what's missing and create that thing. It's often called a market analysis approach.

My approach is quite different. I say, begin with what you're passionate about. What inspires you? What enrages you (that you are compelled to do something about)? What do you find yourself doing -- just because you must!?

That is the terrain of a true vision of the heart.

Since I was a teenager, I have loved creating things out of seemingly random objects. In college, I loved improvisational theater. I often had no real story line when I began, just a question or a nagging thought. I'd probe and question. I'd create scenes with a challenge and ask the actors to find a resolution. Then I'd take all these stories and weave them into a new fabric...creating a play that flushed out the nagging thought that began my quest.

Creating something from seemingly nothing was so natural, so easy...and so rewarding.

The challenge was that I didn't have many mentors who would help me create a strong foundation for my vision. Most of the people in my life at that time were successful BECAUSE THEY FOLLOWED DIRECTIONS,  NOT BECAUSE THEY MADE THINGS UP!

I was lucky, though. For some reason, my passion outweighed the constrictions of other people's expectations. Now, my business is all about creating visions, connecting people and finding new ways of offering yourself in the world.

This form of visioning from the heart and doing what you love is quite fulfilling --- yet, being a visionary has its price. People often don't have a clue how to relate to your vision. Sometimes people can even be quite dismissive. Why? They simply can't see it. They don't have your vision.

Once you learn how to navigate the bumps and slumps, it can be the most rewarding work you'll ever do!

For those of you who are living your vision...congratulations! Now let's make it possible for others to do the same! For those of you who are ready, and willing, to step forward with your vision, you are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime!

For anyone wanting to begin or enhance your VISION FROM THE HEART, here are a few ways to find it. I'd love to hear the ways that you have uncovered your vision.

Here are a few places to 'look.'

• Go back to your childhood. What did your parents have to peel you away from doing?
• What do you dream about?
• What do you get angry about?
• What do you read about or talk about?
• What part of your job do you like (it might be a tiny, tiny piece)?
• Who are you envious of? (What are they daring to do, that you wish you could do?)
• What are some of the most 'alive' moments from your life?

Happy Heart Visioning!

Structure or Constriction?

The process of sharing these cards with others has been fascinating.

For some reason, this card really provokes an emotional response.

Some people say it simply reflects their need to give a very specific look to their vision. For others, the image brings up a powerful feeling of being constricted.

When I first shared these cards with a group, I invited people to choose two cards --- one that reflected something inspiring in their life and another that reflected a challenge.

When the woman who picked this card shared her challenge, you could feel the tension in her voice. She said, "This card reminds me of how often people try to put me in a box. It feels so constricting."

As she spoke, she realized she was letting others define her and how she ought to 'be.' She was quiet for a moment, then said "Hmm." And then she was quiet. "Maybe these could mean that I create my vision and then invite people to experience it for themselves. Hmmm. (Pause.) And, as I think about it, wow, that could really change how I see my work. I don't have to try to be like people think I should be. Hmm. (Pause.) Now looking at this, I can see how it could provide a structure for me to show people what I do...wow."

What does this card represent for you?
How does it help, or hinder, your visioning process?

How clear is your vision?

The theme for this week is vision.

In this time, when everything is in a state of flux and confusion, the clearer you can be with your vision...for yourself...the easier it will be to adapt it to the needs of others.

This card is one of the first I created. In many ways it gave me the foundation of what this deck is all about --- giving focus to that which wants to come to life.

As I created this card, I did it much the same way I create just about everything in my life. I have a vague 'feeling' of what I want, but not a crystal clear vision. It's curious --- as visual as I am, my vision must be teased out of many competing ideas.

If I try to name my vision all at once it never seems to work. But, if I think of it in terms of 'snippets' or 'picture frames,' then I can link those pictures to make a bigger vision.

How do you find your vision?

Each of us comes at it from very different ways. What's so important is that you begin to find your unique way, and then use it...again and again.

Here are a few ways I do it:

1. Take a stack of index cards and on each one write a different vision. As you write one, turn it over. Then add another. Don't look at them. Once you've done 20 or so, take a break. Put them aside. Then, after you've taken a break, lay them out in front of you. Notice which ones pop out at you. Notice the ones that excite you or make you nervous. And, most importantly, see what the common themes are.
2. Or...each day for two weeks, write your vision in a journal. Again, don't read the entry. Just write. Then after two weeks, take time to review the visions.

I'd love to hear:
What challenges you in creating your vision?
What do you enjoy about creating a vision?
What do you find most helpful in naming your vision?

Bringing it to life is a whole other story!

Strength Revealed

What is hiding behind the curtain?
Or ..
What is waiting to be revealed?

For me, this card evokes a sense of quiet strength -- a dependable certainty that just is. What I love about the power of story is that as you begin to explore the depth of who you really are, beyond your hopes and fears, it is quite astounding what happens. You begin to know yourself in ways you hadn't before.

"Odd", you might say. "How can we not know ourselves?"

And yet, so often we don't.

As you begin to trust yourself, to know yourself, and to really own all of it...the beauty, the fun, the shadow and the fear...you begin to navigate life from a place of clarity and strength. It doesn't always make life easier, but it will make your relationship with life more fluid, more honest. And in this honesty, you engage the part of you that is most true.

Take a moment, and just let your body breathe. Take a breath, even if only for a second, into a part of you that just 'is'. Then breathe into a place that is tight and guarded. Notice the difference?

Strength Revealed
is about trusting
more of yourself
so you have to guard less.

The story! Which Story?

Ah.... Yes...
the big question.

What story are you living?

or, perhaps, whose story are you living?

This is the part of coaching that is so exciting for me. When people first come with the desire to create a new business or find a new career, they often think it is about a resume or a business plan.

Yes, those are important. But what's most important --- is the story you are telling yourself about who you are, and your 'right' or ability to be what/who you want to be.

We can get so tripped up trying to be what we
think others want us to be. Pretty soon we've sunk deep in the shadows of life, not being anyone who resembles what we truly are.

This soul card project evolved out of my desire to create snapshot moments that reflects my life, my dreams and my shadowy uncertainty.

What stops me?
What inspires me?
How am I feeling right now?

This weekend, on Mother's Day, I found myself creating these really soft, gentle images. (They will be posted next week or so, when they are finished.) As I did I started to see my own sorrows and joys of what motherhood meant come to the surface.

This image is far more shadowy. For me, it asks me to own that which I dare not speak. It asks me to let my story be greater than my fears. It asks me to see the foreground of my life while honoring the pathway of my past.

What story are you ready to own?
What story are you ready to let go of?

Journaling is great way to let your stories reveal themselves. Some journal for hours. Others a few minutes a day. What's most helpful is to not censor yourself ... just let your story tell itself, whatever it might be.

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Life's Seduction

Welcome to my newest project
--- my soul card deck of 52 cards to get deeper insight and clarity about our life, our dreams and our confusions.

Currently I have about 30 in different stages. As I considered which card to choose first, 'she' called me the most.

Her name, today ... 'Life's Seduction'.
A bit mysterious and yet enticing,
she always catches my attention, beckons me, sometimes in a teasing, coy fashion.

I don't always understand what she is beckoning me to do. Often I can't even really see 'it'. But I can feel her, Inviting me in suggestively offering a tempting delight!

As an ardent creator who lives and breathes to create, my challenge is to ask myself:

Is this temptation a distraction?
or is she beckoning me to honor a passion that yearns to be created?
What impact will it have on my personal life?
What will have have to let go of to do 'this' (whatever this is)?

As a consummate creator who thrives on transforming the un-seeable into vision, it is essential that I recognize the seduction while remembering my bigger purpose. Sometimes it is fun to tumble into play and allow the fantasy to pull me in. Other times, it can be an escape from something far more important. It can be quite beguiling at times!

What does this card represent for you?

Please, do share...

This deck has been a wonderful journey for me to explore my own desires. As I begin to ask others how it reflects both their desires and confusions, I am touched and inspired by the responses I get.

Some of you may prefer to email me personally. That is great. And, I'd love to allow a forum for others to see and hear what these cards inspire for you.

Enjoy