As I listened for a focus for the New Year of 2013 (everything is gravy now that the world didn’t end December 21) several threads wove themselves together.  Since coming back from Bali I’ve been floundering a bit, searching for my new purpose.  Much of my work has disappeared with budget cuts and new priorities in education. Should I write another book?  Who will read it?  Should I write more songs?  Who will I sing them to, and they will probably be boring anyway…

All of us go through this dance with self doubt sometimes and it is not much fun.  I’ve been reading Parker Palmer’s A Hidden Wholeness: Healing the Divided Self, rereading The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz, and writing to my Angel Committee regularly.  Here is what has emerged:

Why obey our inner inklings and nudges when they don’t seem to make sense? Why bother if we feel that they will not make a difference?  Why take a sketch pad and draw what our eyes are drawn to when we can’t sell our drawing?  Why do what we are called to do? Because the “I” in you asks, invites, beckons. Because it says so. It is not the one who says, “get a real job”, or “no one will read your book.”

Who is the “I”  calling to you? You decide.  Could it be called God, or The Universe, or your True Self, or your Muse, or your Angel Committee.  It is the truest, deepest, bravest, most loving, wisest part of ourselves.  And my agreement with myself is that this year, 2013, I’m going to do what it, my “I”, tells me to do just because it tells me to do it.

Here’s a more extensive explanation on audio:  click here.

Recently I read another great blog from Derek Sivers: Everything is my fault. At first I agreed with his radical suggestion that, by assuming everything is our fault, we can find freedom and happiness.

And, after some reflection, I decided I totally disagree with him. I am NOT responsible for his bad behavior and he is NOT responsible for mine. Yahoo! That is freedom.

Click here to listen to the journey of a young girl who took total responsibility for her family’s dysfunction – to the woman who has plenty to do taking responsibility for her little-ol’ self.

Holidays do not have to be hectic. There! I said it! Are you willing to entertain this radical idea?

What if this season could be quiet and contemplative as we descend into the darkest part of the year, at least here in the Northern Hemisphere where I live? What if we could have a party and not stress one little bit? I figured out how to do this as I recovered from my control addict tendencies. If I can let go of perfectionism, imperfectly I might add, then you can too.

My holiday gift for you is to offer the suggestion that you can create a holiday season that is not hectic, pressurized, or expensive in any way. 

  Listen to this audio.

Follow your bliss or it will stalk you,

Vicki

Lessons From My Grandson, Carter

Living in gratitude is sweet indeed, and I live in gratitude every day for the gifts my firstborn grandchild, Carter, is giving me just by being himself.

Carter has Down Syndrome.  I thought this was bad news initially, and now, well, I am aware of what a great gift Carter is to the world.

This is a photo of Carter sleeping on my lap during his birthday party.  “You’re in heaven, aren’t you?” my daughter asked when she strolled over to sit with us.

“You betcha!” I answered, glad to be known so well.

The photo on the left is a logo you can put on anything in Zazzle.

I’m wearing a t-shirt with another logo on it.  You can check it out here in Zazzle.com

How has Carter blessed my life?  Listen in.

Follow your bliss or it will stalk you,

Vicki

This morning as I sat looking at the Sea of Cortez in Baja, Mexico, I decided to  journal about wishes I couldn’t undo. What if you could have all the wishes you wanted, but you couldn’t undo them if you found you didn’t like what you’d wish for?

I had some interesting insights, and I thought you might enjoy trying this for yourself.
Click here to listen for the audio.

Follow your bliss or it will stalk you,

Vicki