Posts Tagged ‘miracles’

Random Acts Of Kindness: The Magical Eyes Tour Begins

Friday, February 19th, 2010
The Guadalupe Mountains

The Guadalupe Mountains

Dear Pinkies, We’re proud to share the first official post of the Magical Eyes Tour upon which Pink Lovemuffin Extrordinaire Megan Monique Harner embarked yesterday. And wouldn’t you know it? Our Lovemuffin is already encountering miracles. Check in frequently to the Pink Posse’s Pink Effect page, where Megan will be posting regularly from the road. Enjoy reading about her first adventure – and be sure to read to the end for an opportunity to contribute to the magic. Thank you Megan, and drive on safely and courageously, surrounded by our love and support …

The Journey Begins

I left Red Oak, Texas yesterday morning (February 16, 2010) at 9:30 a.m. I hugged my Aunt Doris goodbye, loaded Jack the Dog in the car and took the first stride in my long journey across the United States for The Magical Eyes Tour. My head was swarming with uncertainties and fears. My stomach was fluttering with butterflies and a bit of nausea. “There was no turning back now,” I thought. “I have Pleaped and nothing is before me now but the open road.”

Jack boggled at the site of mountains

Jack boggled at the site of mountains

My first stop was El Paso, Texas to visit with my dear friend, Johnny. He agreed to house me for a couple days before I take off to my next destination. On the way there, my GPS somehow led me along the back roads, which were incredibly beautiful: a scenic drive through the Guadalupe Mountains and hills.

A Strange Route

However, the route was also a little nerve-racking – I was out IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. No cars, no people, no animals, no stores and certainly no gas stations for as far as I could see. For reasons beyond my understanding, I had decided to not stop of gas when my tank was at the halfway mark at the last Stripes gas station I’d passed. I suppose I figured there would be another pump before the arrow landed on the “E.” WRONG.

Open Road

I searched on my GPS for the nearest fuel station. It was 38.9 miles away from where I was. My low fuel light had already come on, but I had faith in trusty “Sophia the Kia.” She had lasted me far beyond the low-fuel line before.

I Made It!

Just as the last drops of fuel were being burned in my engine, I pulled up to an old, run-down gas station, with old-school pumps and an 80-year-old man hooked up to an oxygen tank and smoking a cigarette with yellow finger nails behind the cash register. You could say it was the typical “scary movie” kind of atmosphere.

Mounds of Sand and Dirt

The man told me to pump my gas and come inside to pay afterwards. So I did- and for some reason my gut told me to stop at $20.00. I went inside to pay. He slid my debit card – DECLINED. He slid it again on credit – DECLINED. I started to panic. I said, “So what are my options here? Can I write you a check for tomorrow?” (I knew my check hadn’t cleared the bank just yet, although my card had worked that morning.) He said, “Nope, I don’t take checks, but I can call the cops.” My heart sank, tears began to fill my eyes and I hurriedly said, “Let me go see if I can dig some change out of my car.”

A Stranger’s Kindness

I found $14.00. As the pit in my stomach grew bigger and deeper, a cowboy pulled up in his huge pickup truck and horse trailer. I said, “this is so embarrassing, but can I borrow $5?” I explained the story to him and he agreed to help me. I said, “Can I hug you or something?” He gave me his card instead and told me to find him and pay him back.

I can’t remember the last time I had to rely on the kindness of strangers to save my life. All I know is that without that cowboy, I would most likely be in jail right now. There is no doubt in my mind that the Angels, you Pinkies and God were watching over me last night.

I had never been happier to see city lights!

I had never been happier to see city lights!

A Magical Eyes Experiment

It gave us a Magical idea. What if a bunch of Pinkies sent the Cowboy a note that said, “Thanks for helping my friend Megan out of a bind on February 16. Your generosity means more than you know.”? What if a few of us threw in a few bucks to pay him back? How would being acknowledged and rewarded this way make him think about kindness to strangers, or inspire him to pay it forward? If you’re moved to participate in this particular Pink Effect experiment, we’ll post more information on the Pink Effect page on the Posse Forum.

In the meantime, what about you Pinkies? Can you remember the last time you helped out a stranger? Or relied upon the kindness of one?

And I’m just warming up,

Megan Monique

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Posted in Owning Your Intuition, Personal Empowerment | 11 Comments »

Miracles Abound- A Reminder To Ask the Universe For What You Need

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Really. Just ask. Ask for what you need. You’ll never believe this … or maybe you will. Yesterday, I was inspired to post about money because, frankly, we need it right now. After taking a leap of faith and quitting my fancy six-figure doctor job salary three years ago, we’ve been putting sweat equity into our lives- lots of sweat, little short term return (with big long term dreams). But right now, we need to pay the rent. So Pink editor-in-chief Joy and I were doing what we do often- pondering what we need and practicing saying it out loud, witnessed by each other and the Universe.

Ask For What You Need- Say It Out Loud to Someone You Trust

I said, “I need help paying the bills so I can allow Owning Pink to grow.” Then I wrote a post about Owning Abundance, releasing our financial fears, and trusting in the Universe. Joy edited the post, drafted it on the site, and I went in- with a smidgen of hesitation at putting it all out there so openly- and clicked “Publish post.”

Signs From the Universe

Two minutes later, I went on Twitter to tweet the link. And I found a barrage of tweets saying “Check this out @lissarankin! Forbes listed you on the 20 Inspiring Women to Follow on Twitter!” Uh…gulp. I mean, seriously. I had just published my first ever Owning Pink post about money and uh….Forbes? Seriously? I tiptoed around the house looking for lightning rods, Red Seas, and burning bushes.

Ten minutes later, I walked outside and discovered a ginormous rainbow, cascading from one West Marin mountainside to another. A brilliant, sparkly, vibrant bright red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple rainbow. And what lies at the end of a rainbow? You guessed it…the pot of gold. Okay, God. Deep bow. I’m listening.

The Purple Kangaroo

A few months back, Joy and I were talking about this very thing, when Joy piped up, “Damn, girl. You’re this close to just being able to ask for what you need and have it appear right in front of you. Just do it. Say ‘Purple Kangaroo.’” I

I giggled, and said, “Purple kangaroo.” And then a deer appeared right at my window, staring in at me with big doe eyes.

Joy said, “But it’s wearing a purple hat, right? Eating purple flowers?”

Okay, so the purple kangaroo didn’t show up right away. But for Christmas, Joy gave me- you guessed it- a plush purple kangaroo. So I told Dana the story, and last month, Dana was meditating and frustrated, so her guides took her to a magic place and told her to ask for anything. She came up with the purple kangaroo (to her surprise). She set an intention to draw to her the purple kangaroo. A week later, in a business meeting having nothing to do with Owning Pink, a friend gave her a toilet calendar and in it was a purple kangaroo on the month of September.

Sebastian Murphy, the Owning Pink mascot

Sebastian Murphy, the Owning Pink mascot

This little purple kangaroo we’ve now named Sebastian Murphy is a sign and a symbol that we can achieve ANYTHING with Owning Pink. Anything we can imagine we can bring into being on this earth. Our magical eyes, our belief that the angels are here to help us achieve our highest good and the highest good for the whole planet through Owning Pink is absolutely one hundred percent TRUE. It’s already here, living in everyone’s heart on the earth. We just have to BE the beings to SEE it and to help others SEE it so they can FEEL it so they will BELIEVE it. And once they believe it, they will BE it, too.  Our purple kangaroo is tangible proof that WE can bring this reality to the earth plane and plant a little pink spark in everyone we SEE.

We Don’t Need to be Superheroes

Don’t you get it, Pinkies? We don’t need to carry the burden of our lives.  We don’t need to plan and scheme and plod through life, carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders. We need not worry, feel anxious, fret, or otherwise stress out about the challenges in our lives. We don’t need to save the world- or even ourselves. We can take off our red capes and spandex jumpsuits. We don’t have to be superheroes. We can just be ourselves and surrender everything to a greater Superpower. The magic ticket to peace? Letting it all go. Saying it out loud. Turning it over to the Universe. And then trusting the flow of whatever happens next.

It’s Not Just Me

I can hear you Pinkies grumbling. It’s just you, Lissa. I ask for what I need and I never get Signs. I surrender to the Universe but the Universe doesn’t listen. I take Pleaps (Pink leaps of faith) but I fall flat on my face. You’re special, Lissa. You’ve been chosen. These things don’t happen to regular folks.

I hear you. I SEE you. I understand. And, with all due respect, I lovingly say, “Bullshit!” Trust me, Pinkies. It’s not just me. YOU are special. It DOES happen every day. You DO get Signs. Miracles happen when you see the world with Magical Eyes. It’s so much easier than you think. It’s not something you do. It’s something you UNdo.  It’s something you BE. And it’s available to every single one of you.

Trusting the Universe

I promise I won’t get all fundy on you here, Pinkies. I’m not going to jump on my podium, start singing Hail Marys, or threaten the end of days.  But I’m not shy about saying that I believe a Higher Power is at work in my life- and in yours. Wherever you’re at on your spiritual journey, I honor you and I respect your beliefs. But I can’t just sit back and act like these things are coincidences. When you see miracles happen, you just can’t help it. You want to shout it from the rooftops and make sure everyone knows WE ARE NOT ALONE. There is purpose in the Universe.  It is yours for the owning. And all you need to do is surrender to it.

What’s your purpose, Pinkies? Do you see the signs? Have you had magical experiences with the Universe? Tell us your miracles….

Seeing purple kangaroos everywhere,

Lissa

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Posted in Lissa's personal yada yada yada, Owning Success, Owning Surrender, Personal Empowerment | 25 Comments »

Mojo Monday- What Would You Do If You Were Brave?

Monday, January 25th, 2010

courage

Dear Pinkies, please welcome back the wisest woman in my life, my best friend and Pink Mommy, Trish Rankin. She’s here today with some thoughts on dreams, transitions, and the miracles that exist in each of us. Take it away, Mommy, and thank you! – Lissa

***

Recently I heard a song* in the car that has tweaked my soul. The lines that particularly touched me were:

What would I do, if I knew that I could not fail?
If I believed, would the wind always fill up my sail?
How far would I go?

All the way home, I found the question rolling around the car as if it were a loose bottle of water seeking a place to settle. What would I do if I were brave? Would I seek my dream? Do I have a dream formulated or have I been afraid to even create one?

The Difficulty of Change

Since my husband died four years ago, I have tried to remake my way, but I am still far from who I think I can be. It would be easier to just go on as I am, remaining in the safety of the niche I’ve re-created. Change is hard and mine is no exception. David was my husband of 40 years as well as my best friend. We didn’t just co-exist – we shared life, and now I live alone. My purpose in life is now in question.

Venturing Out On My Own

In November I flew to Turkey alone, spent a week with our former foreign exchange student whom David and I were supposed to visit before he died. I was scared that something would go very wrong (and many of those fears were confirmed), but I did it. I then flew alone from Turkey to Greece, and connected with a small group from my church to go on a Mediterranean Cruise of four countries. I ended up in Greece alone an extra day due to a miscommunication and flew home alone.

I have never traveled abroad alone before and certainly not to a country where I couldn’t even speak the language, and where few I addressed could speak English. But I overcame my fears. I did it! I was brave, and I was proud!

So what would I ask if I could have anything? What is my dream?

My dream? It is to publish my recently completed book, and present 1-2 “Owning Joy after Loss” workshops a month, to help other women gracefully move through their grief journey. But that takes skill and persistence I’m not sure I possess. Doubt creeps in and steals my courage. My dream? To find love again, to fill my empty home with happiness through a committed loving relationship. But that takes risk, and I am striving each day to find the courage to confront that risk. I know I will.

Believe in the Miracle That Is You

Don’t be concerned about doing it alone. For there are miracles available within us – some large and some small. You don’t have to donate a kidney to become a miracle in someone else’s day or life.  A kind word, volunteering your time, a smile to an angry stranger, a changed heart – these are all small miracles that can change those around us and ultimately change who we are.

I have a sign in my dining room that says, “The poor woman is not one without a dime but one without a dream.”

So Pinkies-Dream big, knowing that the will of God never takes you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

What would YOUR dream look like, if you were not afraid? If you were brave? If you had courage to change anything you wished?

A MOJO MONDAY exercise:

1.  Give yourself a few minutes to close your eyes and fantasize. Where does your mind go if you give it permission to go anywhere exciting? What if you invited yourself to dream your biggest dreams, free of your inner critic and demons? What comes up? What would you do if you were BRAVE?  If you took fear out of the equation?

2.  Make a list of all of your wildest fantasies, your ginormous dreams- the life you might create if you took a Pleap (Pink leap of faith) and truly BELIEVED in yourself.

3. Now write a list of affirmations that will help you be brave. If your inner critic says, “You’re not smart enough,” your affirmation will be You are smart enough. If it says, “You don’t have enough money,” your affirmation is “Abundance is overflowing in my life.” Write as many affirmations as you can think of.

4. Now, try to still your mind in meditation for as long as you can manage (15-30 minutes is ideal. It opens up your mind to a place of receptivity).

5. After quiet meditation, start to dream your dream, in very specific detail. Visualize a day in your perfect life as if it was a movie. Don’t worry about the details of how and when. Just create the scene in your mind, believing it to be true. Imagine waking up in the morning. Feel what it feels like to be brave. What does your house look like? Your family? Your job? Your body? Your community? How do you FEEL in this brave life? How do things smell? How does life taste? Very as sensual and detailed as possible. Let your body live it.

6. There is a part of your brain that responds to this type of programming- (Lissa tells me it’s called the reticular activating system). When you stimulate it, it starts firing, and voila- before you know it- you begin to notice ways that your dreams might come true that you might not otherwise have noticed. Perhaps you need to find the perfect retail kitchen space so that you can open your dream restaurant. So there you are- at a cocktail party- and because your reticular activating system is now supercharged, your ears hear- from all the way across the room- some guy talking about how he has this kitchen for rent and needs to unload it really cheap. Had your brain not been fired up, you might never have noticed. So let’s do it, Pinkies. Let’s supercharge our reticular activating systems and be BRAVE!

6. After watching the movie reel in your head, open your eyes and read your list of affirmations out loud. Even better- read them into a tape recorder and play them with your eyes still closed. Believe them. LIVE them. KNOW them.

7. Repeat this exercise every day for a month- and see what happens.

What do you think, Pinkies. Are you in? I’m starting today…

Share your dreams, dear ones. What would you do if you were brave?

Getting braver ever day,

Trish

* “If I Were Brave” by Jana Stanfield

What would I do, if I knew that I could not fail?
If I believed, would the wind always fill up my sail?
How far would I go? What could I achieve,
trusting the hero in me?

If I were brave, I’d walk the razor’s edge,
where fools and dreamers dare to tread.
I’d never lose faith, even when losing my way.
What step would I take today, if I were brave?

What would I do today, if I were brave?
What would I do today, if I were brave?

What if we’re all meant to do what we secretly dream?
What would you ask, if you knew you could have anything?
Like the mighty oak sleeps, in the heart of a seed,
are there miracles in you and me?

If I were brave, I’d walk the razor’s edge,
where fools and dreamers dare to tread.
I’d never lose faith, even when losing my way.
What step would I take today, if I were brave?

What would I do today, if I were brave?
What would I do today, if I were brave?

If I refuse to listen to the voice of fear,
would the voice of courage whisper in my ear?

If I were brave, I’d walk the razor’s edge,
where fools and dreamers dare to tread.
I’d never lose faith, even when losing my way.
What step would I take today, if I were brave?

What would I do today, if I were brave?
What would I do today, if I were brave?

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Posted in Finding Mojo, Guest Pinkies, Owning Joy After Loss, Owning Spirituality | 6 Comments »

Mojo Monday: Manifesting Desires With A 10/10 Journal

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Hiya Pinkies! Hope you had a lovely holiday weekend for those of you celebrating Thanksgiving. I know I did.

Please welcome Pink Goddess Kim Jenkins, here today with a simple yet powerful way to start reclaiming your mojo. This exercise is especially timely in that it that incorporates the theme of gratitude – something that seems to be on the minds and in the hearts of all us Pinkies, especially this month. Thank you, Kim, for your wisdom and inspiration. Take it away!

I was introduced to the power of keeping a gratitude journal back in 2003. I am a realtor, and at the time I was involved in real estate coaching, through which I met many inspiring people who were doing more than me in the field of real estate – and just about every other aspect of life as well. I was taught to focus on becoming the “whole” person by setting goals in all areas of my life. As someone who is willing to try things that support my growth as a human being, I decided to give this gratitude journal thing a try.

The Power of Gratitude

Not knowing where to start, I asked a friend of mine who suggested that I simply focus on what went right each day. So each night before bedtime, I would write down as many things I could recall that went right. My first entries looked like this:

  • Finally made it to the office by 8:45am
  • Worked out 35 minutes
  • Had a delicious dinner.
  • Relaxed with hubby after work outside by the pool while girls went swimming.

Reflecting back on these entries reminds me of the time in my life when I began doing this exercise. My real estate business was good, listings and sales were coming in from various places, the kids were healthy, we had a roof over our heads…you know, the basics of life were being taken care of. However, my husband had just been in a very bad motorcycle accident a few months before, and after 40 days in the hospital, he was home, in a wheelchair, recovering. I can sit here now and recognize the powerful synchronicity of learning to be grateful amidst less-than-favorable conditions. My gratitude journal reminds me how we were taken care of by so many people while he was unable to work. People held bake sales for us, donations poured in to help with bills, friends and family helped me with the house and kids, and so much more. Despite the horrific accident and the resulting consequences, life didn’t stop. I had two young children to attend to, a household to maintain and a business that required daily attention. Focusing each night on the things that went RIGHT was the beginning of my powerful mindset change. To this day, my optimism and gratitude for life carry me through the darkest days. No matter what I’m feeling, I can ALWAYS find something to be grateful for and immediately begin to shift to better feelings.

The 10/10 Journal

Around 2005, my “What went right today” journal took on a new life. Credit goes to a man named Matthew Ferry, who introduced me to the “10/10” journal. It’s called the 10/10 because your goal should be to write a minimum of 10 things you are grateful for and 10 things you want to draw into your life, or attract. The idea is that by being grateful for what you have, you allow more of what you want to flow to you. You will begin living your life in a state of gratitude and, at the same time, be open to more prosperity. Saying Thank You to God, the Universe, Source, whatever you choose to call the amazing Energy that exists all around us is a powerful way to learn to focus on the good in life. As you physically write down what you are grateful for, over time a powerful shift takes place in your mindset.

The power of our thoughts is severely underrated. Your thoughts can create good as well as bad. Are you always afraid of getting sick? Guess what? Chances are you’re going to get sick. Are you fearful of how you’re going to pay your bills? Yep, your bank account stands a good chance of staying empty. Concerned that your flight will be canceled or your computer will breakdown or your night out with the girls will be postponed due to some unforeseen circumstance? Again, chances are you’re right.

Ten Gratitudes

But what if you began a daily ritual of gratitude? What if you learned to expect things to go your way? You can start small and eventually work your way up the scale of gratitude as you learn to embrace the process. Start with “I’m so happy and grateful that _______ (fill in the blank).” Here are some examples:

  • I’m so happy and grateful that I learning to feel grateful.
  • I’m so happy and grateful that my hair turned out great today.
  • I’m so grateful for the yummy soap I showered with this morning.
  • I’m so grateful for my car. It’s not the greatest car, but it gets me to work where I can earn a paycheck to support myself and my family.
  • I’m so grateful for all of my 10 fingers that allow me to hold this pen and write this gratitude list.

When I first started doing this, I would be grateful for every little coin I found on the street and in that moment I would say, “I am grateful for these wonderful sign of abundance. I attract money everywhere I go.” You even can play little games with yourself when you find yourself in circumstances of frustration and anger. Sitting in traffic, you can be grateful for the forced time of slowing down and the opportunity to listen to an audio book or motivational CD. Don’t allow the circumstances to affect whether or not you will be happy and joyful. Just choose to be that way by focusing on your gratitude list. You can choose to find the perfection in every situation or you can moan and groan about how things never work out for you. Which thought feels better?

Ten Wishes
The second part of the 10/10 exercise is to write down what you want to attract into your life. Be bold! They may not all come true within the next 30 or 60 days, but the time is going to pass anyway, so keep on writing and dreaming and wishing. Some of my early journals show things I wanted like:

  • I want to attract one perfect new customer every week.
  • I want to attract a free cup of coffee.
  • I want to attract a new desk and computer for my girls.
  • I want to attract clarity of what I want.
  • I want to attract the perfect healthy weight for me!

Once you write them down, close the book, forget about them and go on with your day. Get out there and meet people, do your job with a smile, take a little extra walk around the corner, do whatever you feel inspired to do.

Delegating the To-Dos To The Universe

Finally, as you really get into doing the 10/10 ritual, you can begin to “delegate” your To-Do lists to the Universe. There are things we all want to do, be or accomplish, but our minds are full of negative chatter that often keeps us from being all that we are capable of being. If we write down a really large goal, more than likely a little voice comes out of nowhere and tells you, “Hey stupid, there is NO way you’re going to accomplish that!” Instead of listening to that voice, simply say to yourself, “I have no idea how I will accomplish this, but I am delegating the HOWs to the universe, I will remain open to the signs and will take action when the time is right.” Then….let it go. Allow God to take over and mix up a serendipitous concoction of people, events, circumstances and situations that you would never have dreamed possible. Because of your practice of gratitude and attraction, you will then be in a state of allowing, a state of possibilities, and of course, a state of perpetual gratitude for your life.

Will You Try It?

So Pinkies, I encourage you to go out, get yourself a simple little notebook and try this exercise for 90 days. Each day, write down 10 things you are grateful for, 10 things you want to attract and what you need to delegate to the Universe. Trust the process. Don’t keep score. Enjoy the miracles that occur. Then – and this is super important friends, go out and tell someone else about it who needs a shift in their life. Invite them to try it out. Encourage them to try gratitude. We can make our world better one person at a time by helping each other believe in ourselves and in each other.

Living a life of miracles and mojo,

Kim

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Posted in Guest Pinkies, Owning Spirituality, Owning Success, Owning Surrender, Owning Your Intuition, Personal Empowerment | 21 Comments »

Mojo Monday Exercise: Write the Vision of Your Ideal Life As Though It’s Already Happening

Monday, September 28th, 2009

bw_writingHey Pinksters,

Happy Mojo Monday. Joy here today. I unearthed something most incredible from an old journal today. An artifact from an existence that feels like lifetimes ago, when actually less than a year has passed. On October 6, 2008, I sat in a coffee shop during my lunch break at work and wrote the following in my journal:

I am so extraordinarily grateful to the universe and to myself for having granted this year to devote entirely to my spirituality, creativity, and coaching practice – as well as the means for frequent travel, art classes, etc. I have been able to sleep until fully rested each day, meditate in the quiet of my home and nature for an hour a day, paint, cook, shop, explore, walk with my dog, read, write, visit San Francisco, hang out in coffee shops, visit campus early in the mornings to view the rising mist filtering the golden sun, observe, appreciate, be slow, still, patient, and present.

I feel no obligation to be anywhere but where my heart wishes to be. I immerse myself fully into my coaching training with ample time to focus on the coursework and give 100% of myself to it. On colder days I spend time in front of the fire and in my office engaged in the work of my heart, whatever it may be that day. More and more, my office is beginning to resemble me and become an extension of my soul filled with art, smells and objects that bring peace and comfort to me and all who enter.

I spend weeks and weekends at retreats at Esalen and Spirit Rock and am meeting others who have helped me expand my reach. I am learning from Buddhist gurus, have heard many dharma talks in the area. Penny (my dog) is cared for and loved while I am away and is my best friend and companion on my days spent at or near home.

I am healthy as always – only healthier because I have time to shop for and prepare fresh, organic, delicious food. I visit my sister in DC more frequently and watch my nephew grow. I spend weeks in Florida with my mom. I accompany Matt (partner) on conferences in exciting places that I’ve always wanted to visit and some that I didn’t even realize I needed to see. I am more in touch with this glorious planet than I ever have been and view everything with the awe and amazement that I intended to experience when I choose to incarnate.

I am increasingly excited about coaching and cannot wait to share the wealth of wisdom I have amassed this year with my clients – as well as to learn from them. I spend ample moments in quiet reflection and gratitude and reception of messages from the universe. I become the conduit of wisdom I know I was meant to be and employ my gift of writing to convey these messages. I make an easy and abundant living from this work, made all the more possible by the year I was given to become my biggest and most receptive self, not obliged to anyone or anything for my living.

I am so thankful and filled with joy and excitement for what is to come this year is merely the beginning of an extraordinary, extraordinary and beautiful existence driven by intention and openness and miracles that I will strive to recognize and acknowledge every single day.

At the time, it was a stretch

Now, though it was written in the present tense, was this remotely the life I was living a year ago? Hells no. Had I chronicled my days back then, my journal would have looked more like the following:

Get up at 6 am. Walk to work through gorgeous scenery I’d give anything to spend more time in, but can’t, so don’t bother paying attention. Spend day in airless office feeling empty, purposeless, bored, stressed, and guilty about pets left at home. Always watch clock: be prompt, don’t take too long for lunch, leave at 5 on the nose. Surf internet and eat lots of candy. Walk home. Once a week run out to painting/meditation/other class that is meager attempt at enrichment. More pet abandonment guilt. Over-borrow on vacation time to visit family and entertain friends. More guilt. Resent boyfriend for “talking me into” buying house we could only afford with my salary. Pine for weekends. Resent pets/boyfriend/house obligations for not allowing for more adventure when the weekends did arrive. Kick self for spending weekend “getting life in order” instead of fleeing to wine country or Big Sur. Spend Sunday evening dreading Monday …

And so forth. You get the picture. My life now? Let’s just say that I am doing and experiencing, oh, 85% of the first scenario. I don’t remember the last time I resented someone, felt constrained or obligated, and had anything but joy and appreciation for the work I do. Sure, some endeavors have not yet been realized – like the exotic travel and jewelry-making classes. However, that’s not due to deprivation or a lack of means or possibility … it’s actually because there is so much other amazing stuff filling my days that I’ve had to park those few items on the bucket list for now. I wake up (slightly!) later, for reasons that make me WANT to throw off the covers. I meditate for almost an hour most days, which in itself has been completely transformative. I spend time with my pooch. I walk. I write. I coach. I cook. I field trip to San Fran all the time (AND get to spend days in the breathtaking landscape of OP headquarters in Marin – there are all sorts of little bonuses like this). I take in the astounding miracles of nature all around me. I make my own hours. I connect. I’m inspired. I’m meeting phenomenal people who are proving to me that I can – and will – do whatever I want. I am inspired not only by Buddhists but manymanymany other gurus whom I didn’t even realize existed a year ago. Mine is an “extraordinary, extraordinary and beautiful existence driven by intention and openness and miracles.”

Surely you jest …

Really? Could it be that easy? Does life really align itself around intentions made real by writing them into existence? There’s only one way to find out, I suppose. So, Pinkies, my Mojo Monday invitation to you is to simply – very, very simply – do this:

  1. Grab a notebook and pen.
  2. Sit in a place that inspires you (incidentally, I wrote the above in a coffee shop in which I hoped to spend lots more time during my year of freedom … when it came down to it, though, my preference was to spend lots more time in my lovely house on the hill – one that, despite the Pleap [pink leap of faith] I took last spring extricating myself from the soul-deadening job, we can still miraculously afford).
  3. Write the story of your dream life as if it’s already happening. Too overwhelming? Write out your ideal day. What time would you get up? How would you spend the morning? What does the sun look like coming through the window as you sip your … actually, what are you sipping? With whom will you spend your days? What does your heart call you to do?
  4. Now put it away. You don’t have to believe it will happen, be hopeful, cheerful, or expectant (goodness knows I wasn’t). All you have to do is be clear.

If you feel inspired, please share it with us, Pinkies.

Waiting for you on this side of the miracle,

Joy

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Posted in Finding Mojo, Mojo Mondays, Owning Surrender, Owning You, Personal Empowerment | 15 Comments »

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