Archive for the ‘self-care’ Category

Soul = the expression of your essence

“You can’t shrink your way to greatness.” Tom Peters, Management Consultant

Is there anyplace in your life where you are playing small?  Self doubt can cause us to give away our personal power.  Many people, including myself, believe that we are living during a paradigm shift that is asking for greater consciousness, deeper authenticity and self-expression that flows from our unique sense of genius.  We are stepping into a time when we are invited to move past blame, shame, limited beliefs, excuses and the like into stepping up to make a difference in our own unique ways – in our families, communities, businesses/workplaces, on our planet.

We are all meant to give and receive.  We give away our power when we believe we don’t have any.  Contrarily, we are tapped into our personal power when we are connected with source energy, that universal, abundant, always generous energy that flows through us when we are open and aware and willing to receive.  Source energy gets blocked by busyness, procrastion and self-doubt.  Source energy heals, energizes and supports the full expression of who we are.

“We all have the power to transform ourselves and consciously choose something that does not already exist.  At any moment we can create something beyond what is.” Julie Ann Turner.

We can serve the greater good in more ways, in some way large or small.  All acts of loving kindness, of care, of reaching out, of stepping up, of connecting, of transforming - all create a velocity of pure potential for profound and important shifts at the individual, group and global level.

Regular reflective writing helps you get crystal clear about your value, your worthiness, your story and the unique contribution you are here to make.  The blank page invites your voice, your lived experience, your story and the longings in your heart.  In this context, I believe journaling is soul work – a process that takes us into the heart of ourselves.  When we access this place, this is where our personal power lives, it is the doorway to greater inner peace.

Reflective journaling is tool and a practice that helps you feel inner peace in the cells of your being, in the calm of your mind, in the stillness in your heart.

Reflective journaling helps you meet your greatness on the page and in your life.

We have a brief time to do what we are here to do.  A lifetime.  One lifetime.  Bring regular reflective journaling alongside your life and open into your greatest joy, potential, desires and contributions.  One word, one thought, one feeling, one story at a time.

Join me for my next Life Source Writing™ Virtual Retreat and learn how to tap into the transformational power of journaling so that you can tap into the transformational power in you.

“There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.” Margaret Fuller

Self-care includes all of the activities, beliefs, and energy that you embrace in service to living your most healthy, inspired and joy-filled life.  Self-care is NOT selfish.

Here comes what you already know to be true in the deepest part of yourself…

Being a self-sacrificing martyr at the expense of your own health, well-being and happiness does not benefit anyone – not your partner/spouse, children, family, career/business.  Instead, self neglect depletes you, creates resentment, contributes to feelings of depression, low energy and burnout.  We MUST have regular practices, habits, actions that replenish, relax and renew us in mind, body, heart and spirit to reduce stress, heal (which means to make whole), and be well.  Joy lives at the heart of well-being.  It is very difficult (impossible) to feel real joy and happiness if you are run down, worn out, exhausted, miserable, and feeling like you are on auto-pilot.  If this is how you are feeling – know that you can turn this around and reclaim your energy, inspiration and vitality.

The time is NOW to commit to lovingly caring for yourself, each and every day.  Not once in awhile, or later when you might have more time, or when the stars align – but now.   You are worthy of unapologetic, guilt free, self-care!  Every part of your life will come alive in the swell and spirit of loving self-care.  It really will.

I know the road of self neglect, well.  It used to be normal for me to have my own needs on the bottom of my “to do” list.  After a failed marriage and some other defining moments, I grew to realize that there could be another way.  I learned self sacrifice does not serve the greater good.  There are no wins from abandoning the self.  None!  You know it and I know it.  You are more than the sum of how you serve, care for, show up and tend to the needs of others.  You are a heart-centered soulful woman deserving of filling your emotional, physical and spiritual cup.  Your self-care is never a selfish act, rather it is wisdom alive in your life.

Step one to fully embracing self-care - make a non-negotiable commitment to showing up to care for yourself for a minimum of 10 minutes a day.  Perhaps simply sitting still, looking out at the ocean or lake or forest (letting mother nature nourish your nature), a candlelit bubble bath, a quiet walk, some silence, stillness and solitude, time to write in your journal, to be in your own heart and body with kindness - maybe you look in the mirror, look into your own eyes and say the following affirmation…

I love you me, I am here.  I am here now to care for you with a wide open heart.  I am here with full permission, no guilt, and great loving kindness and compassion.  I am here to listen to the whispers of truth within.  I am here to honour my mind, body, heart and spirit.  I am here to receive universal source energy for fulfillment, insights and joy.  I can feel my enoughness.  I am enough.  I am safe.  I am here.  Receiving.  With ease.  With thanks.

Let yourself come home to yourself in whatever way feels right to you.  Breathe.  Arrive.  Let go.  Forgive.  Dance.  Be still.  Do what you need to do to be present at the alter of your own beautiful being.  Let yourself be new, moment by moment.

You are not alone.  You are part of a circle of women striving to be the best we can be – in both our inner worlds and outer lives.  One by one and together, we can increase the vibration of health and happiness in our world.  In ourselves…

Love, Lynda

I am diving deeply into my memoir project.   The book is called Umbilical Cord: A Memoir of Adoption about my experience as an adoptee, finding and meeting my birth mother, and becoming a mother myself.  It is a story about family, mother love, abondonment, secrets and hope; it is a story of discovery.  I have been “working on” on this memoir for over decade, since just after I met my birth mother for the first time.  Now, I am ready to show up for the work and inner journey of writing this book.  I declared 2012 “the year I write this memoir”.  It is February, I have the project dusted off, a big white sheet identifying the scenes I have written so far, and my memoir writing books on my desk.  I have spent the past month “getting ready to write”.  Now, I need to get down to it because note to self: thinking about writing is not writing!

Memoir writing causes me to be in the present but also pulled deeply into the past, while also holding a vision for the future.  Five things I believe so far about memoir writing (please note I have been a journal writer for over 25 years)…

1) The more deeply I tell my own story, the more universal the story becomes.

2) Other peoples’ stories can help us learn something about ourselves.

3) Consensus building or approval seeking from family members (or key characters in the story) are not helpful elements of writing a memoir.  Memoirs are not greatly improved by a large censor voice.

4) The more I write the more I want to write.  Writing helps unlock writer’s block.

5) There can be a gift of healing through writing memoir, through understanding woundedness and re-storying our experiences.  I once read, “Adoption is the only trauma where we expect the victim to be grateful.”  I am exploring both the losses and the gains brought into my life through being an adoptee.  I am doing this both on the page and in my heart.

Watch this blog for more musings on my memoir writing journey!

I haven’t been blogging lately because I have been working on writing offline.  We have just completed our book proposal for Writing Alone Together:  Journaling Within A Circle of Women for Creativity, Compassion and Connection (co-authored with Wendy Judith Cutler and Dr. Ahava Shira) and we are excited to send this labour of love off to potential publishers.

We are excited to bring this book to you in 2012, one way or the other!  The writer’s path is not for the weak of heart.  It is a courageous act to put your ideas, thoughts, feelings, soul onto the page.  If you are making your mark with words – know you are not alone.  Whether you write for yourself and/or for others – words and writing have the power to heal, inspire, inform.

Writing changes live, changes thinking.  In 2012, I am a writer.  I am a speaker.  I surrender to the call of words on the page and on the stage.

May we write alone together.  Together and alone.  To make art.  To make a difference.

I was just a Premier Coach along Success Row at the 2011 eWomen Conference in Dallas, Texas.  I had the privilege of hearing some amazing speakers including Jack Canfield, Sandra Yancey, Lisa Sasevich and many others.  Over and over again, in different ways, there was a theme to the messages and stories being told – including: 1) believe in yourself 2) align with your purpose, and 3) serve with your gifts.

I was writing in my journal after midnight on the Thursday evening of the conference, attempting to process all the learning and ideas from the day when all of a sudden this question appeared:  ”What lights you up?” and I wrote for an hour until I couldn’t move my pen anymore. Your turn…

Here are some journaling prompts to help put you in touch with your own unique purpose, passion, & gifts…

What lights you up?  I mean really lights you up?

What is your absolute on fire, on purpose, living your passion place? 

What is your brilliance zone…that sweet spot where your unique gifts shine?  When in this zone…you know it, your friends and family know it, the world knows it!

Happy writing!