Monday Morning Musings:

Muse Upon This:

"If we did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves."

~ Thomas Alva Edison

Where in your life are you ready to live up to your capabilities? Are you ready to step up your relationships? Your career? Your parenting? Your listening? Your spiritual life? Are you ready to astound yourself? MuseKaren posted this one awhile ago. She ended her post with "I dare you." Frankly, it gave me goosebumps. (Perhaps it was the reference to elementary school -- not my brightest years! :-) )

So, what are you waiting for? I dare YOU!

monday morning feel good moment

Serious goosebumps here! I have watched it three times and still tear up! Let your dreams come true, too! Enjoy!

Monday Morning Musings: It is never too late

Muse Upon This:

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
~ George Eliot

I am deeply inspired by vibrant, older adults; people who continue living, learning, and experiencing life long past when others have stopped “trying”. My parents are two of those people. On the eve of their seventieth birthdays, they are currently skiing down a mountain in Colorado. Or, at least, they were until my mom fell and broke her ankle. I told her I was so impressed she skied hard enough to break an ankle!

Then there are the Delaney sisters. (Forgive me if I get this story wrong. It has been awhile since I heard it and I might not have it exactly right. The gist is right on, though, and that is the point.) They lived to be 104 and 107. One was the first Black American woman allowed to teach domestic science in NY and the other was the second Black American woman to get her dentistry license. They lived boldly in their younger years so it is no surprise to hear they went boldly into their later years. They took up yoga (now you see why I told this story!) in their 80s and were still doing it into their 100s, visiting each other’s homes to practice together. (Yes, they still lived independently.) Oh, and did I mention? They are both in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the oldest authors. (Sadie wrote her last book at age 107!!)

How about a student I had who still inspires me. At age 72 she was considering doing my yoga teacher training because she had always wanted to be a yoga teacher. She is incredibly alive and vibrant. (She also said that one thing she did have to give up was roller blading. Not because of her age, mind you, but because her 82 year old boyfriend would want to do it with her. She then added, “I just don’t think he should be roller blading at his age!”)

Okay, so now let them inspire YOU! What have you put off? What do you feel it is “too late” to do? School? Run a marathon? Learn to cook? Travel? New career? To live more from love? Are you inspired yet?

monday morning feel good moment

While I think the yoga crowd might enjoy this the most, it is a smile for all! Enjoy!

Monday Morning Musings: Be Silently Drawn

Muse Upon This:

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of that which you really love.”
~ Rumi

Ahhhh...Rumi. One of my favorites poets. Interesting how thoughts from the 13th century can still resonate with us today. So, what do you really love? Do you know yet? (It is okay if you don’t. Just putting your thoughts on it today will help you get closer to discovering what “it” is for you.) Do you let yourself be drawn toward it? Or does fear keep you from exploring it more deeply? How can you be drawn toward it a little more, right now, in this moment?

monday morning feel good moment

This feel good is a gift from me. May your body feel good today! (By the way, it is 7 min long so it a bit MORE of a feel good moment than I usually send! :-) ) Enjoy!

Monday Morning Musings: Seeing the Miracles

Muse Upon This:

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for.” --John Lubbock

Stop. Read the quote again. Do you see how it applies in your life? Are you currently focused on the 8% unemployment or the 92% employment? Are you looking for the 17 things your mate does well or the 1 thing that drives you crazy? Are you appreciating the love your kids send you? Or noticing the mess they left behind...again. Are you looking for the 98% of drivers who are polite? Or the one who cuts you off? Are you looking for kindness in the world...everywhere?

Today, let your meter be on the positive. What is going well for you? Albert Einstein said it best with: "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Are you ready to look for the miracles? Take a breath and choose to see the miracles...

Please share with us where you will be focusing and what you see!

monday morning feel good moment

Here is an "awww..." moment if I ever saw one! Enjoy!

Monday Morning Musings: Making the "Right" Decision

Muse Upon This:

Are you waiting to make the “right” decision?

In my coaching practice, I find my clients are often stymied in their life because they are searching for the “right” answer. What is the “right” decision? The one that makes everything perfect? The one that has NO problems or issues attached to it? Do you REALLY want that dull of a life? Really? Aren’t the bumps in the road what have made you stretch and reach? Given you more vibrancy? Made you come alive? In last week’s musing, I alluded to making a decision when you were feeling good rather than bad. (hmmmm...interesting, whenever I write “good” I always type “god” first...coincidence? OR, when you are feeling “good” are you feeling “God?”) If you are feeling good when you make a decision, you are making a decision more connected to your Spirit, your inner guidance. If you are feeling bad, you are letting fear guide you. If you felt good when you made a decision, know it is for your higher good regardless of what happens!

I don’t believe in regret. Really. When I see all the good that has come from every “wrong” decision I have made, how can I see it as “wrong?”

So, today I encourage you to consider a decision you want to make. Are you searching for the right answer? Get yourself feeling really good and then go with what feels right to you in that moment. If you have a decision you have made in the past that you felt was “wrong”, is there another perspective you can have? Did you learn and grow from it?

Monday Morning Musings: 1/19/09

Muse Upon This:

When you illuminate yourself, you give people
permission to illuminate themselves.”
~ Michael

What helps you come alive? What feels really, really, deep-down good to your core? Have you ever considered how feeling good at YOUR core affects OTHERS at THEIR core? This quote changes the paradigm around taking care of yourself. And doesn’t the word, “illuminating” seems so much more profound, deeper and more resonant with your Spirit? To be illuminated is beyond taking care of your basic needs such as getting enough rest, having enough free time, or exercising regularly. Illumination comes from a glow from within when you are connected to your Higher Self, knowing who you are and LOVING that person deeply. When you love yourself that deeply, you can allow others to let down their guard to illuminate their inner being as well. Now that is power I can support!

What lights you up? What gets you going? Not sure? Join us for some ideas and let us help you illuminate your inner self! Want to know what I love? I have some good ones to share...

Monday Morning Musings: 1/12/09

Muse Upon This:

Is it time to shape your life?

As the Buddha said, “As an irrigator guides water to his fields, as an archer aims an arrow, as a carpenter carves wood, the wise shape their lives.” Our life often seems to happen by “accident”, falling into one job or relationship or physical shape and just staying there out of habit. Where in your life are you still doing things by habit? Is it time to shape your life? What do you want to say you now are, do, or have on January 12, 2010 that you cannot say right now? It could be in the spiritual, physical, mental, or financial realm. Or maybe about your relationships. What do you want to be different one year from today? If you want something to change, set an intention to change it. Write it down. Tell others (like us!) Set action steps.

Let us know: What do you want for January 12, 2010? What one thing will you do in the next 24-hours to take yourself closer to your intention? I have something I have wanted and I am ready to publicly commit to making a change. Read it in my comment...

Monday Morning Musings: 1/5/08

Muse Upon This:

“What if you had no obligations?

Stick with me if your initial reaction was “but that is so irresponsible!” I am not saying get rid of your obligations, I am encouraging you to shift your paradigm around things you see as obligations. Do you know what some synonyms of “obligation” are? Duty, Task, Job, Onus, Liability, Requirement, and then this beauty, Burden. Can I just say, “yuck”? I had a yoga student (who is also a yoga teacher) recently say: "I want teaching to be a natural part of my grace." When she said that, it got me thinking. What if everything I did was a natural part of my grace? The root of the word grace is from Latin and means “pleasing and thankful.” So, what if we did everything from a place of gratitude and love rather than seeing them as a “burden”?

Okay, so what are some burdens you have? How can you reframe them? Here are some thoughts I wrote about taxes awhile back. I reposted the more important points in light of this musing. You can also read my comments to learn about a life-changing shift I made. What else are you ready to shift? Let us know...also let us know if you can’t see how to shift it. We’d love to brainstorm ideas!

Monday Morning Musings

Muse Upon This:

"Remember, you have the capacity to choose.
Choose life! Choose love! Choose health! Choose happiness!"
(Joseph Murphy)

Yep, you can choose! And a great place to start is in your New Year's Resolutions. As we move into the season of resolutions, set a positive intention for the new year. (I prefer “intention” over “goal”. “Intention” feels more as if it comes from spirit and “goal” feels too outward oriented.) Let your intention move you toward something you want rather than away from something you don’t want. Instead of “I don’t want to be overweight.” Make it “I choose health, vibrancy, and high energy!” Instead of “I don’t want debt.” Try “I choose abundance in my financial life!” You deserve and are worthy of your intentions. Choose life! Choose love! Choose health! Choose happiness!!

So, what are your new year’s resolutions? I love to set them and create them from a very deep way. I set a theme for each year and let that guide my resolutions. Want to know my theme from past years? Want to know this year’s theme? Read on...

I am teaching a New Year's Day workshop along with fellow muses, Karen and Marya. It is a day-long workshop for defining your dream and using the practice of yoga to bring it into your life. Want to play with us? Want 2009 to be an inspirational year?

Monday Morning Musings

Muse Upon This

“My real role in life is to suit up and show up
and then turn the results over to God.”
-Unknown

Are you fully showing up everywhere in your life? Are you playing full-on? Are you really suiting up and showing up? Where are you holding back? What excuses, or “Good Stories” have you created to help yourself feel better about not doing what you know in your heart you are capable of doing? What will it take to get you playing your full game?

I realized a few years ago I wasn’t playing my full game, doing what I knew in my heart I was capable of doing. My big wake up call was when a student offhandedly mentioned, “You know, there are people out there who need to learn from you. Your playing small is hurting them.” Hmmm...that made me think. I never thought of letting my fears run areas of my life as hurting others. If you aren’t yet sharing your gift, the world is waiting for you to share your gift. I am waiting. What will it take? I have something more I am going to add to my life that I have been holding back on...I am publicly committing...want to know more? Read my comment. Want to join me? Come on...isn’t it about time?

Monday Morning Musings

Muse Upon This:

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by
the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.
So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from safe harbor.
Catch the wind in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.”
--Mark Twain

What is something you have always wanted to do? Something you might have admitted only to your journal? Imagine having it still undone five years from now... How does that feel? Is it time to begin? Is it time to let the wind catch your sails? Is it time to explore? Dream? Discover?

Monday Morning Musings

Muse Upon This:

What can you give today?

The Law of Giving: “Wherever I go, and whoever I encounter, I will bring them a gift. The gift may be a compliment, a flower, or a prayer. I will gratefully receive all gifts that life has to offer me. Each time I meet someone, I will silently wish them happiness, joy, and laughter.” (Deepak Chopra, The Seven Laws of Spiritual Success)

I love the description of giving Dr. Chopra states here. There is so much more to giving than things we have brought. And an important aspect is to also gratefully receive that which you have been given. In the spirit of Dr. Chopra’s definition of giving, what can you give today?

Monday Morning Musings

Muse Upon This:

“Your mind must be like a parachute –
it’s of no use at all unless it opens up.”

James Murphy

So, what are you doing to keep your mind open? Is it open? When was the last time you challenged your beliefs? Did you even think that your beliefs can (or should) be challenged? (You can read more about what I think about beliefs here...) What are you doing to open your parachute?

Monday Morning Musings

Muse upon this:

What is your dream day?

I don’t mean, “Gee, I wish I could sleep in...” I mean the pinch-me-I’m-dreaming sort of dream day. What would make you come alive, vibrant, and excited? My parents have begun gifting their children with our dreams days. (Fabulous, eh?) The best part has been in the deciding what that is, what would be the most amazing experience for me? My husband drove 5 exotic sports cars on a day with Road and Track. (The photo is below! He calls it his "Ferrari Smile!) My sister is off to Costa Rica with me on my yoga retreat in January. Me, well my dream day is...read my comment below.

So, what is your dream day? Let us know and then schedule it. It truly doesn't matter if is it in the year 2012, just put it on your mental calendar. My dream day is scheduled in my head for 2010 and I am already excited!

Monday Morning Musings

Muse upon this:

Make today unforgettable

What can you do today to make this day unforgettable? We tend to live much too unconsciously day-to-day with days flowing into each other, weeks flowing into weeks, months into months, etc. until we realize many days have passed that were unremarkable, unmemorable, and very much the same. What can you do today to make it unforgettable? I posed this question to the muses a few months ago and one did something so fabulous, it still makes me smile (and, frankly, cracks me up!) Want to see a photo? Here it is. MuseBeth thought about just doing yoga on the floor, but she felt it would be forgettable so up on her desk she went! Realize this woman is a Vice President of a large corporation. Can you imagine the affect this had on her secretary who took her photo? Yes, it might be silly and isn't that just what we need in our life? And you know...we Muses still remember this from MuseBeth making her day unforgettable for her and many others.

What are some more unforgettable ideas? What about a random act of kindness? Pay for someone behind you in a drive thru or at a toll booth, smile at total strangers, call a friend who needs it. Buy flowers for yourself. Eat breakfast for dinner. Apply for the job you have always wanted. Begin the book you want to write. Schedule the vacation you are dreaming about. Write a love letter to your spouse. Make today different than all the others. Make it unforgettable. What will you do? Share with us...

Monday Morning Musings

Muse Upon This:

How do you know what you want?

“Some people say they don’t know what they want.
They’re lying.
You always know what you want. You may not want to admit it, thought, not even to yourself.
When you state what you want, you then either have to start making it happen or you have to start making excuses for it not happening.
Sometimes it’s just easier to say you don’t know what you want.
But that’s a lie.
You do know.
So admit it.
No one is looking.
No one is listening.
So what do you want?”

Joe Vitale, Life’s Missing Instruction Manual

Cuts right to the heart of the matter, doesn't it? How powerful. I experienced a “want” that I kept hidden from myself for years because I wasn’t up to what it was going to teach me. Curious? Read my response below. Let us know what you want! If you aren't ready to share, let us know you have stated it for yourself!

My Response to Fear

Yes, it is true. One Muse responded, “I’d wear a bikini!” Although it was a bit tongue-in-cheek, it affected me. I realized I was afraid of wearing a bikini. Then a friend told me, “I once saw a woman on the beach who was overweight with stretch marks wearing one. She owned that bikini. She was fabulous!” And I realized I wanted to feel that comfortable in my own skin and I was going to! I bought three and will be sporting them proudly on the beach in Costa Rica!

You can get over fears that quickly or sometimes it takes time and baby steps. Doesn’t matter what it takes, when you are ready, begin taking the steps. Getting past fears is powerful. The rush from buying bikinis gave me the power to commit to my first retreat in Costa Rica! Do you want to live from fear or love?

Okay, so tell us...what would you do today if you weren’t afraid? (And, what one step will you take today toward living from love instead...)

Related Posts:
monday morning musing (related to this response)
The Positive Power of Fear

Monday Morning Musings

Muse Upon This:

What would you do right now if you weren’t afraid?

Interesting questions, isn’t it? How many of you have even considered that fear is an option? No one has the same fear. To me that says that it is possible to not be afraid of whatever I am afraid of. The interesting thing about fear is it keeps us stuck, really stuck in our current state of being. We don’t move forward in the area in which your fear lies whether it is our relationships, financials, emotional life, even our physical bodies. Then when we take a step to move beyond our fear...the power is spectacular! My daughter learned of this recently and you can read her tale here.

I posed this question to the Muses a few months ago and it began a flurry or emails. One email in particular affected me deeply. In fact, I bought three in direct response! Curious as to what it was? Read more...

Now, leave a comment for others and us. We want to know what you would do right now if you weren’t afraid!

Related Posts:
The Positive Power of Fear
My Response to Fear

Monday Morning Musings

Muse upon this:

"When would now be the right time?"
James Arthur Ray

We all tend to put things off, "I'll start writing my novel when I have time." I'll start to exercise when I buy some equipment." "I'll work on my relationship tomorrow." What do you really want to do in your life? When will you finally do it? So, when would now be a good time?