Believing means Feeling

My fav Christmas decoration in my new home is a sign that reads “We believe in Santa Claus.” Okay, so I’m a closet Hallmark holiday movie addict, but hey, I need the believing practice.

Once the business of moving and surrendering to fact that “there will be traffic,” the initial excitement of newness wore off. That is, it was time to start the job hunt.

This can be a daunting experience because I like feeling good – while looking for work. That means batting away phrases such as “the economy”, “yes, but that was Santa Barbara pay – in 2008” and “Windows XP?”

So begins the believing game.

First, I choose a random job on my resume and write down everything that I liked about it. This includes funny incidents, new skills and the people I drove nuts. This helps me trust in my skills and often uncovers new items to add to the resume.

Next, I imagine I’m telling my friend about my great new job. I’ll even write a letter that I don’t send, describing the feeling of excitement, the outfit I wore and most especially, the PURSE.

Notice the word feeling.

Regardless of the positivity of any mantra, affirmation or prayer, if you can’t feel the result of what you want, then the going will be daunting indeed.

I’ve been here since November 1st, am interviewing with my 9th staffing service today – and I still find my self having to journal through old beliefs and stories that keep me from feeling worthy. On those days, I do basic legwork. Making lists of agencies I haven’t signed up with, emailing my self jobs from Craigslist and searching for cool companies on the Internet.

And I try, try, try not to launch a resume until I’m feeling the satisfaction of “finding great work that uses all my skills in a terrific environment, with excellent pay.”

This season, figure out what you want, write down why you want it, add some cheesy holiday music and give your self a congratulations hug from me. Repeat, practice and enjoy.

So tell me, what do you want from Santa?

Moving to be Moving

A friend recently asked how many times I’ve moved since 2004. Including the two long term house sitting gigs – my recent Newbury Park move is #9. For someone who claims home is her favorite place, this is quite a few moves. And I know that this #9 move is temporary, because I’m renting a room in a home that is for sale.

But the reason why I made move # 9 is that it fell out of my mouth. On 9/11 I was hanging with Mom and my brother Joe at Applebee’s. I was talking about my latest job search.

“And if I don’t find something soon in San Luis Obispo, then I’m going to start looking in Thousand Oaks.”

Two months later and I’m typing this blog from Ventura County. Home to Thousand Oaks and a swanky little town called Newbury Park.

I moved to follow my intuition, or my spiritual marching orders. And I’m glad.
I’m a little scared, a whole lotta lost, but I am glad to be here. Strangely enough, living among these groovy strangers feels like home.

When is the last time you left your comfort zone and found yourself at home?

Visioning(R) is Affirmative Prayer

I've been working with a Vision board since October 2010.
The focus phrase that guided the creation of the collage is:
"I live a creative prosperous life of love and joy."

One of the reasons I like vision boards so much is that the affirmation is represented in collage form. That means I trust that what I want is coming into being. I also trust that because the meanings of the images are fluid - I will be guided only if I show up and do the work. With collage that means spending time focused on the world that I want to create.

You could say that Visioning(R) is prayer in collage form.

When I work with a collage for a long period of time - rephrasing my future manifestations into prayers being answered is a good thing to do. The point of a vision board is stay focused on what I want to bring into being - and to keep my thoughts away from what HASN'T come into being.

A friend - Jane - once gave this advice to our mutual friend - Sue.

Sue was talking about how she was waiting for a solution to her prayer. But all she could talk about was how her prayer hadn't been answered. After listening to Sue for some time, Jane said "Well, God can't call you back with the answer if you don't hang up the phone."

The process of Visioning(R) is actively creating an affirmative prayer, then trusting the process enough to belief it will come true.

What are you praying for today?

My Body, My Car: It's all about the journey.

So I finished the text of my workbook/cd combo called My Body/My Car, handed it off to my mentor to do the 1st read through and I'm still waiting for the elation. After all, I'd been working on the project - off and on - for 3 years.

I was musing about this while I listened to an Esther and Jerry Hicks workshop CD. Esther stated that reason is that when what we want manifests, it's like taking the next logical step. That is:

first we spend our energy dreaming of a goal,
then launching the goal,
overcoming the obstacles,
grinding out the finish touches
and then finally the finish line.

No wonder that by the time we reach our dream - we are often over it.

That's why BIG projects are often a let down. Sometimes even a down down.
All of this - plus the fact that living in our goal-driven society it is easy to forget that the point of any dream - is really the journey.

Celebrating the steps along the way ends those finishing-a-project blues.
I also make sure I've launched another dream about 2/3 of the way through.

This way I always a passion project to look forward to. After all, it's all about the journey.

What Does that Dream Mean?

One of my favorite things in this world is my dream life. I subscribe to a belief that dreams are messages from ME! All of me. My me, myself and I, me. I'm talking all of the sub-personalities and selves that are part of my psyche.

Years ago, I followed a dream book by Betty Bethard. I decided that since my mind knew I was using definitions in the back of the book, then I'd dream in that language. For instance, the night before having to respond to a job offer, I dreamt I was in a store. A store meant that I was investing in me - so I said yes to a sales job that was a terrific experience.

Now I use the Creative Journal method to write to my dream characters. First, write out the dream and choose 1 character to dialogue with. Then use the instructions below:

1.Start as if you are writing a letter using your Dominant Hand.
Dear Dream Character, why are you in my dream?

2. Put the pen in your opposite hand - your Non-dominant hand and allow the answer to flow onto the page.

3. Keep up the q & a, asking with the dominant hand, answering with the non-dominant hand.

4. End the letter with a closing with your dominant hand.
Thank you, Dream Character, for talking with me.

5. Write down any insights you have that you can apply to your life.

For more information about Creative Journaling, visit my web page at www.writeinside.com.

Sweet Dreams!

Why I Love Crayons

Ever since I went through my Creative Journal Expressive Arts training in 2003 - I've been cuckoo for crayons.

I have this terrific art space in my office large white paper is just waiting to be colored.

If I'm bummed about so many bills, so little checks - I scribble!
When I'm worrying over a big decision - I color!
And if I'm pissed off at the latest slight, insult or political snafu - I scrawl giant red and black words across the page.

My Creative Journal is THE place to leave my cares on the page. There my troubles are grounded, my indignation out safely on paper where it will go up in flames in my monthly full moon fires.

Where do you put your problems to rest?

Positive Critic Traits

The best thing to know about the Critic is that once I can separate from 'the voice' - then I can transform the negative traits into positive. With practice, this becomes easier and more fun.

Of course, I couldn't' do it with Hal and Sidra Stone's book, Embracing Your Inner Critic. Here are some promises from the book below:

Top Ten Traits of Your Inner Critic as Supporter.

1. It acts like a positive parent who supports you, makes your risk taking safe, and allows you to be creative and flowing.

2. It is impersonal and does not allow you to worry about what others think.

3. It helps you to set appropriate boundaries.

4. It is no longer interested in other people's criticism, so they do not bother you. This helps to free you from the fear of shame or humiliation.

5. Its power gives you greater authority in the world.

6. It brings you the ability to focus clearly.

7. As an objective mind, it analyzes events and feelings coolly, without making either you or others wrong.

8. Its objective evaluations of situations help you to behave appropriately and with self-discipline.

9. It helps you to get appropriate consultation and advice without making you feel that this is a sign of inadequacy.

10. It can direct you to self-improvement as growth or as an adventure rather than as a chore because nothing is "wrong" with you. It does not talk about symptoms for problems.

12 Traits of the Inner Critic

My promise to myself for 2011 is to feel good and have more fun. This means becoming more aware of the constant chatter of my mind - and especially its criticism.

Hal & Sidra Stone, authors of Embracing Your Inner Critic have a handy checklist for helping you to identify when the Critic has take over your brain. Knowing when the Critic is afoot can help you turn down the volume on this inner voice - and get back to enjoying your life.

(I keep these posted on my file cabinet in the event of a lack attack.)

The Top Twelve Traits of the Inner Critic

1. It constricts your ability to be creative.
2. It stops you from taking risks because it makes you fear failure.
3. It views your life as a series of mistakes waiting to happen.
4. It undermines your courage to change.
5. It compares you unfavorably with others and makes you feel "less than."
6. It is terrified of being shamed and so monitors all of your behavior to avoid this.
7. It causes you to suffer from low self-esteem, and possibly depression, because it tells you that you are not good enough.
8. It can make looking at yourself in a mirror or shopping for clothes miserable because of its ability to create such a negative view of the body.
9. It can take all the fun out of life with its criticisms.
10. It makes self-improvement a compulsive chore because it bases the work on the premise that something is wrong with you.
11. It doesn't allow you to take in the good feelings that other people have toward you.
12. It makes you susceptible, and often victim, to the judgments of other people.