Light as a Feather

This has been my mantra in yoga for some time, light as feather.  I say it with passion and belief that whenever I am practicing yoga, I feel light as a feather.  Most recently, it has become something I am striving for in all areas of life, the feeling of life being light as a feather.  To achieve this beyond my yoga practice, takes commitment to:

choosing priorities,
creating efficiencies,
reducing spending,
minimizing stuff,
focusing on one thing at a time, and
seeing life as a prayer.

Choosing priorities is a matter of knowing what I value and therefore when opportunities and invitations come along, knowing when to say yes or no based on congruency with my values. Creating efficiency includes such things as using a bath towel more than once so I have fewer loads of laundry, or going through mail and eliminating junk and paying bills as opened.  Reducing spending enables less stuff coming into my home to put away, more savings for things I  truly value and being creative in the kitchen using leftovers.  Minimizing stuff, not hard for me, as I am known as the great purger of stuff, allows for less stuff to organize and manage.  Focusing on one thing at a time allows me to be present, create better experiences and be more effective.  Seeing life as a prayer makes my life intentional, seeking goodness and peace

Light as a feather, ultimately is a state of being where I am not weighed down by burdens that are fruitless.   Light as a feather is the feeling one can achieve through practicing simplicity.  Light as a feather is a way of being so that one has the capacity to help one another who's lives may not be
light as a feather.

"To be in hell is to drift: to be in heaven is to steer." George Bernard Shaw

In my reading this morning, this was a quote as part of a reflection on balance between busyness and solitude.  "To be in hell is to drift: to be in heaven is to steer." This resonated with me personally, professionally and in observing others who struggle.  Many years ago I was in limbo about a major choice to be married or not to someone I loved but was unsure of what I wanted. In the process of broken hearts, many tears and depression, I found my way through to the other side of that time. During this period of drifting, uncertainty and limbo, I recall that one of my mentors, Chris Perkins, told me, "leaders make difficult choices, and move forward, adjusting as necessary."  It was the advice I needed and was ready for and was life changing. I moved forward and have learned to make choices and steer my course in life. I have taken risks I would not have taken, opened doors that may have remained closed, built courage and in the process I have discovered that heaven is to steer your course.  As many of your know I regularly set personal, professional, fitness, financial and spiritual goals.  I don't always achieve them or keep them, however I review them often to steer my life back to the course I desire to create.  Dream, plan, steer and realize heaven is now.

No more coughing, yeah

For the past year I have had a persistent nagging cough. It began subtly and worsened as the year passed. I went to the doctor on several occasions and was finally referred to an allergist. She discovered inflamed bronchial area and prescribed something that has worked immediately. I still clear my throat a bit alas the cough as subsided.  I never realized how grateful I could be for being able to get through the day without a cough.  Today I celebrate breathing without coughing, persisting in my health care process and living in a place with access to good care.

Phoebe

Phoebe is my friend Melanie's mother. She fell and was in the hospital for the past 4 days moving to a rehab center today.  She is 86.  Yesterday following yoga, Melanie shared with me that her mother was in the hospital and Melanie's sadness prompted me to ask if I could drive her to the hospital to visit her mother. We went and there we discovered the physical therapist Kevin working to helping Phoebe to begin to stand. She was having difficulty and Kevin with love and patience and skill continued until Phoebe's feeble body was standing.  Indeed there was joy.  Following her brief standing, Melanie fed her mother lunch and played soft Hawaiian music in the background.  I then said to Melanie perhaps I should leave and let her and her sister, Cyndee, who was also there, have time alone with their mother.  Melanie said she wanted to go with me and get her car so we drove together back home. On the way we stopped to do the labyrinth walk and pray at Mercy Center. Then I dropped Melanie off and returned home to fill the bird feeders, water some of my plants and peacefully move around my garden in a state of peace.  Later Joe and I spent time with our friends the LoPrestos and with much going on in a home with 4 daughters, 1 grandchild and a new puppy, I felt a peace and calm that enabled me to be present and enjoy all of the activities without judgement.  I guess, what I want to say, is the because of Phoebe, my day was gifted with presence, compassion, admiration, joy, gratefulness and peace.  Thank you Phoebe, thank you Melanie.

Creating more goodness

This morning in my litany of prayers for healing, for peace, for particular people in my life that have needs, for solutions to global warming, for people to have meaningful work, for people to have employment that pays a living wage, for safety of travelers, for so many intentions I realized my list could go on forever. It was overwhelming to me and I began to pray to help me create more goodness in the world I live in so that we could heal all little by little. I am putting my best foot forward to be good, to create goodness and to heal someone in the process. Maybe just a little goodness will ripple and heal more than just one person today.

Predictive Scoring

Many years ago while working at Dun & Bradstreet, I sold services which enabled companies to predict business' credit ability and marketing response. These services are based on predictive scoring models that are widely used for many aspects in business.  I often recall these models as I know my own predictive score for exercise, reading and other matters I should do, however, am not always motivated to do.  My own predictive score is that if I do my exercise right when I wake up and I read my materials (books, proposals and other informative email) the likeliness of doing it increases exponentially before 6am.  So for today I am up, I have exercised, read part of my book and written this blog.  As for the rest the of the day.... I predict that this early activity has motivated me for full productivity. Two reflection questions: 1. What are the activities that you can predict based on your previous habits?, and 2. What is your predictive score for the day?

One thing at a time.

Many to do's, feeling overwhelmed and recognizing that one thing at a time is all I can do.  Life comes at me full force every day and I choose each day to just go down the list and get one thing done at a time. While in the midst of completing the list, more calls and requests come in, I add them to my notepad and just keep methodically moving through the list that grows.  How do I cut back, I don't. I just do what I can do and work hard and continue do do one thing at a time. Just for today, one thing at a time starting with love.