The Resolution Solution

This year, I'm not making any resolutions.  I only have one goal: to enjoy life more. That’s it. It’s how I focused on finishing writing projects this year, even while my brain hollered about music. Focused presence feels finer than anything I've tried.

I know what it takes to feel fit: morning pages and 15 minute meditations before work. After work, exercise before Netflix.  In between I juggle writing projects, monthly collage calendars, learning Instagram, connecting with friends, and reading. Lately, I've been reading about writing and reading great writing.

Here's an image that keeps my heart on the lighter side of goal-tending. When a pilot sets his course, the plane doesn’t fly in a straight line. Instead, it constantly makes adjustments. In this way, it reaches its intended target. 

Detail from 2019 October Calendar collage

I’ve set my heart on presence. Emotional guidance is my auto-pilot.

Esther Hicks describes it this way. This thought makes me feel a little better. This thought feels a little worse. Thought by thought, action by action, I show up for my sweet California life.

Where are you headed in 2020? 

The Exquisite Expansion of Being

January 2019 Collage

Today at work I took the cellophane off of the wall art, and tacked them into place. This felt like an open, wiggly thing to do. One wise comment was "it looks like your committed to staying."

I park my car pointing in the direction back home; I leave parties when it's time--without bothering to find the host. Better to send a "loved the party" email complete with pics.

So I'm not sure what "committed" means. But it has more to do with being present than leaving or staying ever could.
That's what my collage created out of a 2018 calendar is all about: being.
I collage because it's messy, get down fun. I speed through magazines, grabbing images that grab me. Sorting and trimming and gluing, oh my! Any image goes. The process is deeply embodied and soul satisfying. At the end...ta da!!!
This year, I'm blogging about hanging with my hanging. Each month a new collage, and a whole lot of heartfelt deliciousness. 

Join me as I talk about the Creative Self, your heart's desire and the exquisite expansion of being.

Retail Wisdom

So.
I'd been sniveling, and dragging my feet as I've sorted through my storage unit multiple times over the past few months.

My initial intention to "sell everything that isn't nailed down" disappeared quickly in the face of the ragdoll I've had since I was 5, my Grandmother's telephone table, and my Pic n Sav Christmas tree from my first apartment. (The lights still work!!!)

Dejected, I packed these items back in the box and returned it to the Keep pile.
Basically, the only things I now have to sell are 10 unmatched dishes, 9 books, 8 pieces of random sewing material, 7 DVDs,  6 kitchen containers, 5 blankets, 4 electronic items, 3 blouses, 2 purses and 1 never used guitar book complete with CD.

This does not a garage sale make...

So.
I woke up and realized this experience needed a new story.
I'd been gnashing my teeth over the fact that I am not currently residing in a permanent space to store my stuff. But what I needed to be doing is transforming the past into my exciting future.


Try these sentences out loud and hear which one feels more energizing.

1. "Wow. I have to sell my stuff because my plan didn't work. Waaah."
2. "Wow. I have a lot of great inventory. It's going to fun learning how to be a retail slut."

Okay.
Maybe you have an aversion to the word retail.
But telling a new story about an experience you're having anyway releases resistance and promotes acceptance. Acceptance of disappointment, acceptance of change, acceptance of joy.

Pic n Sav tree anyone?
It includes decorations and I'm selling it, cheap. 

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?

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?