Monthly Goal Reflection

Hi Lovelies,

It is time for Monthly Goal Reflection! Every time I get settled in to write the baby starts kicking up a storm which is fantastically distracting! But I've managed to get this post done! I'll also be back soon with my Yearly Goal Reflection and highlights of 2010. Consider taking some time today or over the weekend to review your own 2010 highlights and plans for 2011!

December Dreams:

• Reflect on this year and plan for next year with the help of Reverb 10: Yes! I am still reveling in the process of reflecting on 2010 and planning for 2011. I plan to complete all of the Reverb 10 prompts (eventually). I will continue to share those thoughts here, as well as my other reflections/dreams.
  
• Spa date with my sister for facials & pedicures - aaahhhh!!!!: Yes! I love spa dates!
  
• Bake holiday cookies with my grandma: Yes! My sister, niece, grandma, and I had a fun-filled day of baking earlier this month.
  
• Host Girls' Night with the YaYas & celebrate my bff's birthday: Yes! We had a sundae party at our Girls' Night -yumm!
  
• See Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Yes! They were so amazing! Highly recommend!
  
• Get yummy hot beverage and take a drive to admire holiday lights: Not exactly. I like to do this as formal event with my family, but no one was interested this year :-( However, I have enjoyed several yummy hot beverages this month and admired the holiday lights along the way!
  
• Two full weeks of vacation - whoo hoo!!! Yes! I am SO proud of myself for sticking to this. I have done a teeny tiny bit of work from home, but very little overall. Mostly I have been sleeping in, reading, and hanging out with my family and friends.
  
• Celebrate my sweet stepdad and my fabulous sister's birthdays: Yes! We had a little party at our house filled with good eats and fun times to toast their birthdays! I love our family gatherings :-)
  
• Megan's holiday chorus concert (she has a solo!): Yes! She actually had two concerts this month, one of which I thought I had to miss, but I made it to both! Megan is a great performer and I am so proud of her!
  
• Walk 2-3x/week: No... but still a work in progress. I've walked two times this week!
  
• Daily meditation, even if done in bed: I guess if I use the term meditation loosely this would be a yes. I have definitely taken a few quiet minutes most days to breathe. In terms of sitting on the meditation cushion and formally sitting, I've only gotten there a handful of times. Again, a work in progress.
  
• Conference call with my writing buddies from the SARK retreat (hello writing accountability): No. I chose to skip the conference call because it fell on the first day of my vacation which I actually spent at jury duty (ugh) and by the time I got home I really needed some dinner and time with my family.
  
• Outline new blog ideas in preparation for 2011: Yes! Starting In January I am going to have a theme for each month and weekly posts on the topic. The first week of the month the post will be about a mini-activity related to the topic, the second week will be journal prompts, the third week will be a practice to try, and the fourth week will be all about further resources on the subject. January's topic will be Look Within. My idea is to provide my readers with more content (as opposed to only my rambling thoughts). I hope you will enjoy this new feature on the blog!
  
• Celebrate the holidays with family, soak up every minute of their company, and take lots of pictures of all the adorable kiddos! Yes! I have truly enjoyed the holidays this year! Christmas was a riot with all of the little kids in my family! Tonight I'm looking forward to another dinner at my mom's house and more visiting with the family, relaxing, and (of course) eating.

January Dreams:

• Decorate my 2011 Planner Pad
• Settle on my word/phrase for 2011
• Signed rental contracts for 3 newly renovated offices at Living Wellness of Niagara with fabulous, like-minded health & wellness professionals. I'm especially interested in massage therapists, holistic health counselors, naturopathic practitioners, life coaches, or creativity/spirituality professionals. (For more info, contact me at mscime710@roadrunner.com)
• Celebrate my gramma's 75th birthday!
• Provide inspiring content and support brave dreamers through the Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle, starting January 14th
• Celebrate Megan's 13th birthday (OMG) and my niece's 4th birthday with two fabulous parties
• Try out my new work schedule that leaves more space for seeing clients, as well as an every-other-week writing block
  
• Save 40% of my earnings this month to put toward supporting my maternity leave/ the hot tub fund
• Back to basics! Walk, write, sit, stretch. Daily movement (yoga or walking), daily meditation, and daily morning pages. Weekly Artist Dates.
• Begin the process of finding an amazing yoga teacher to cover classes during my maternity leave and an inspirational therapist to work out of my office/cover clients during maternity leave. (If you know anyone, send them my way at mscime710@roadrunner.com)
  

More Reverb 10

December 12 – Body Integration. This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? (Author: Patrick Reynolds)
I feel most integrated with my body (during certain moments) on my yoga mat. To me there is just nothing like yoga to reconnect oneself with the body. I also find running helps me connect my mind, breath, and body. Being pregnant again has also been an experience in body integration, although I'd say I've spent more time fighting my body than embracing it these past few months. I'm working on changing that, but it is an ongoing challenge to accept my pregnant body's fatigue and limitations. However, I am loving my expanding belly :-)


December 13 – Action. When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)

My next step is to get back to basics. I'm recommitting to daily Morning Pages, daily physical movement (walking and/or yoga), daily meditation, and weekly Artist Dates. I feel the need to prepare for the changes that are coming in 2011 and these are the tools that have worked for me time and again.

December 14 – Appreciate. What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

My body and all that it does for me. I hate to sound redundant, but being pregnant has been an intense reminder of how the body is always changing. Currently I am expressing gratitude for my body by resting as much as possible, eating as well as I can manage, and practicing yoga.


December 15 – 5 Minutes. Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)


What a great prompt! I adore Patti Digh! There are so many highlights of 2010 that I most want to remember. Our trip to Paris this year. The food, the sights, and most importantly the week spent entirely with my little family exploring Paris. Finding out we were pregnant and seeing our baby for the first time. The ah-ha moment that lead to me creating the Living Wellness Lifestyle program and the amazing, this-is-so-right feeling I had every week as I led the group. I want to remember every girls' night with the YaYa's and the beautiful feeling that comes from spending time with friends who have known me for more than 20 years. There are also so many every day moments that add up to an amazing life that I will cherish forever. Meeting the new babies in my family for the first time. Watching my daughter start middle school. Snuggling on the couch with my husband. Every casual chat on the phone with my sister. All the good wine and food I've had this year (as well as several Cosmos on the patio on a summer night). Resting in the beauty of these every day moments is what makes my life overflow with joy and abundance.

Winter Solstice Reflection

Keeping with the Winter Solstice ritual I started last year, I took some time for reflection today. I began the process of planning for/dreaming about 2011. I plan to explore a little further and then I will share my thoughts, hopes, and dreams here. I also spent some time on a few more Reverb 10 prompts...

December 9 – Party. What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. (Author: Shauna Reid)

Looking back on 2010 I was fortunate to attend several baby showers, family parties, and birthday celebrations. It is hard to pick a favorite, but I really enjoyed our family's Halloween party this year. We have seven kids total in our family and six of them are under 4 years-old! Seeing everyone dressed up was so fun and all the kiddos looked adorable. It was a very low-key event with plenty of food (including my mom's amazing cupcakes) and candy, of course! I love having my whole extended family together and feel so grateful that we are all close by and able to gather as a group regularly.

December 10 – Wisdom. What was the wisest decision you made this year, and how did it play out? (Author: Susannah Conway)

This Fall I decided not to teach at the local college. Typically I teach a class in order to supplement my sometimes unpredictable business income. This year I took the leap to give up my last bit of a grip on an every-other-week paycheck. I scheduled the time I would typically spend on teaching for writing and brainstorming for my businesses. This played out very well for me. I started seriously working on my book idea for the first time. Also, my private practice began booming and the additional clients I took on more than made up for the money I would've made teaching.

December 11 – 11 Things. What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Author: Sam Davidson)

11 things my life doesn't need in 2011:

1. Fear - especially the kind of fears that keep me from moving forward. Maybe you know them, the "I don't know how to _________ so I'd rather just not try/ I'll never be able to figure out how to_________/ I don't know enough to ____________" fears. I will eliminate these fears by just doing it! And taking baby steps while reassuring myself I am doing just fine. And lastly, by asking for help. When I eliminate these fears, I will move forward with the projects that I feel stuck on right now (my non-profit idea, book in progress, even that CD I've been working on publishing since last year).
   
2. Guilt - guilt about taking good care of myself, guilt about enjoying my successes, guilt about my life feeling fantastic, to all of that guilt and more I say "good riddance!" I'm not sure how I will let go of this guilt. I guess by continuously telling myself that I deserve to take good care of myself, enjoy my successes, and revel in my fabulous life. (Ugh... it feels a bit scary to even write that.) When I am able to release this guilt I think I will feel more at peace.
   
3. More stuff. I want to simplify my life as much as possible, starting with my stuff. The only thing I would like to accumulate more of is books. However, recently I have been using the library like a champion! I'm getting more and more particular even about what books I buy and bring into the house. This is an easy one in terms of how to eliminate it - I will continue to sort through things and donate whatever I don't love or need. Once I have more of the stuff in my house gone I will feel happy and lighter and proud!
   
4. Overscheduled days. I was doing really well with this one, leaving myself plenty of space between appointments to eat lunch, take naps, etc. But I just looked at my first week of 2011 and it is insane! What was I possibly thinking when I jam-packed my days? Well it is not going to last long because I am taking back my time. I plan to create some new rules. It helps me to define very clear boundaries about my days, such as 1.5 hours for lunch, no more than 3 consecutive clients, no more than X clients in a week, etc. Once I eliminate these overscheduled days I will feel refreshed and relaxed and will look forward to my work week.
   
5. Doubt. Ahhh, my good friend doubt. He likes to hang with my other friends fear and guilt :-) I'd like to replace my doubt with lots of faith and trust. I can go for weeks or even months without Mr. Doubt creeping in, but when he arrives he tends to hit hard. I start questioning pretty much every decision I've ever made, as well as my ability to do the "right" thing in the current moment. These doubts usually revolve around my family and career choices. Some of the current gems include, "Why did I start a business when I knew I wanted to expand my family?" and "How will I maintain the businesses that I've worked so hard to create after I have a baby?" Usually I handle doubt by talking with my friends and family. More often than not they have more rational thoughts than I do about the reality of the situation and this reassures me. If I could manage to say adios to my good friend doubt, I guess I would be overflowing with confidence!
   
6. Mindless hours on the computer. This comes up for me on occasion, especially with that darn Facebook! I plan to be more mindful of my computer use and remind myself of the other things I could be focusing on during that time. I believe if I reduce/eliminate this I will have more time to devote to other things that are more important to me, such as meditation, exercise, and writing.
   
7. Non-ideal work. This is a work in progress. For some time now I have been working on accepting only ideal work. That is work that positively impacts those it is intended to serve and leaves me feeling inspired. I've learned the way to do only ideal work is to accept work only from a place of abundance (vs scarcity mindset such as "I could really use the money"). When I eliminate all non-ideal work I will feel invigorated and excited about my work. It will feel less like work!
   
8. Days without any physical activity. When a day goes by that I don't move my body in some manner or another, I feel icky. So even if it is only 15 minutes of yoga, I would like to move every day. To make this happen I need to schedule it in my days and leave myself enough time/space to actually adhere to the plan (see #4). I've been there before and I know I feel better when I move every day.
   
9. Too much television. This is a work in progress as well. I feel I've already changed my habits significantly this year by replacing TV time with reading time and only watching programs that I enjoy and plan to watch. I will eliminate too much television by being more mindful about how I'm spending my time. This will change my life by leaving me more time for things I care about/want to bring into my life.
   
10. Disorganization. Even though I can find everything, it leaves me feeling a little unsettled to have things so out of order, particularly in my work area. I will work on this by eliminating clutter and re-organizing what I decide to keep. Slowly, but surely I think I can reform my organized chaos ways. I beat myself up about this so if I can make these changes I think I will feel more on top of things.
    
11. Small, but meaningful bad habits. Leaving my clothes strewn all over the bedroom. Not flossing my teeth every day. Blurting out the first comment that comes to mind. Eating in the car. Again, I think the cure is mindfulness and the result will be a healthier, happier me.
    

More Reverb 10

December 2 - Writing.
What do you do each day that doesn’t contribute to your writing — and can you eliminate it? (Author: Leo Babauta)

Make excuses. Such as... I'm too tired. It's too late. There isn't enough time to really get into anything. I most certainly can eliminate these excuses, but at the same time they feel very real to me! I think I have also been avoiding writing by reading lately. I have been reading more than ever (and writing less than ever). I've even been skipping my journal writing/morning pages. Which leads me to more excuses... maybe this is just a period in my life when I don't write, everyone goes through lulls in their creativity, etc. However, deep down I know this is a cop out. As SARK says, Action Before Inspiration. Which means just write. Even if you are not in the mood. She also says something meaningful happens every time you write. Another reason to ditch the excuses and just do it. Writers don't write only when they are inspired. They get up each day and face the page and give it their best shot.


December 3 – Moment.
Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)

This is a tough one. This year has been filled with so many magical moments. I'm going to go with the day my hubby and I spent on the beach at Fire Island this August. It was a beautiful day, with clear blue skies and an abundance of sunshine. I remember the feeling of the warm sand underneath me, the sounds of people chatting on the beach, and the smell of the ocean. At the water's edge the sand sparkled and I collected a handful of shells. Best of all I remember watching my husband dive into the ocean waves over and over again, smiling and laughing. He seemed to overflow with a joy and freedom that I rarely see in our day-to-day life together. He was (literally) totally absorbed in riding the wave. It was a beautiful thing to watch. Even remembering it now I get that overwhelming tingly joyful feeling that comes to you when you witness someone you love really letting go and enjoying himself.

me and my hubby our last night in Paris

December 4 – Wonder. How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? (Author: Jeffrey Davis)

My theme for 2010 was Joyful Abundance. I created a sense of wonder by focusing on gratitude and appreciating all of the everyday miracles that surround me. I felt a sense of wonder as I watched the leaves change this fall, as I gazed into the eyes of my newborn nephew, as I heard our baby's heartbeat for the first time, as I observed the first snow fall of the season, as I watched my daughter step out of the car on her first day of middle school, as I savored a glass of wine at a Paris cafe, as I held my husband's hand while we took a walk, as I gazed out over my yoga class, and as I paused and listened to the beautiful chaos of my family gathered together on Halloween. I could go on and on! And I am eternally grateful for all those everyday miracles.

December 5 – Let Go. What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why? (Author: Alice Bradley)

The first thing that comes to mind is the extra weight I let go of this year. I literally shed about 25lbs. I decided to lose this weight for my health and also to prepare for the possibility of having another baby (I say another even though my "baby" will be 13 next month!). I felt very proud of myself for losing the weight and making healthier food choices. Meeting my goal filled me with a sense of accomplishment and reminded me that I truly can accomplish things when I set my mind to it.

Figuratively, I let go of taking responsibility for other people's feelings. That is a tough one for me, but I think I've done pretty well with it. I chose to let go of this responsibility because it was not (and is not) healthy for me. I also don't think it was very useful for me to feel like it was my job to keep everyone around me happy. I've learned you have to let people work through their own stuff, which can be very hard to do (especially with those we love the most).



December 6 – Make. What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? (Author: Gretchen Rubin)

The last thing I made was cookies with my gramma, sister, and niece! I've never been much of a baker (or a cook), but I enjoy making holiday cookies with my gramma. She actually does most of the work ahead of time for us, but yesterday my sister and I were like a couple of professional cookie-dough-ball-rollers. We made a few different kinds, including my favorite Snickerdoodles! My niece was a wonderful little helper too and I think the Snickerdoodles were here favorite as well. She kept saying to me, "Aunt Mindy smell how good this smells" as she dipped her hands in the cinnamon and sugar mix we were rolling the dough in - so sweet :-)

December 7 – Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

I am so proud of the little community that our yoga studio has built this last year. It truly fills me with joy when I hear the yoginis (and occasional yogi) chatting with each other before and after class, asking about each others work or family, giving each other shopping tips, or recommending resources. Community is a big part of my vision for the wellness center and I look forward to growing that community in 2011 as we welcome new partners into our freshly expanded space. In 2011 I would also like to create more of an online community through my blog, websites, and social media outlets.

Reverb 10

Reverb 10 is an online event focused on reflecting on the past year and planning for the upcoming year. There is a different prompt by a different author each day to encourage reflection. I'm a bit behind in responding to the prompts, but they say it is important to go at your own pace! If you want to join me, you can sign up here.

December 1 - One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word. Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?
(Author: Gwen Bell)

I feel the one word that best encapsulates 2010 for me is expansion. It has been a year of growth for my businesses and now for my family with a new baby on the way (and my waistline - lol). My businesses have grown tremendously, more than I even imagined was possible in one year. My weeks are overflowing with therapy clients and my yoga classes are growing bigger too. I've also increased the variety of my offerings to include the Living Wellness Lifestyle for Women and Girls and my first-ever online course. I've also expanded my mindset about my writing, businesses, and personal growth thanks to several amazing online, in-person, and tele-courses. I participated in Kimberly Wilson's Tranquilista e-course and Kim David's Women Entrepreneurs ROCK! tele-course, went on retreat with SARK, and joined Women Who Write. I've spent a lot of time reflecting on where to go from here and have taken even more steps toward my ideal life. (Although I feel like 2009 was the year when I took the really big steps like completely walking away from my steady paycheck job. I think of 2009 as the year of transformation.)

It is hard for me to picture my life one year from today. I haven't quite wrapped my brain around how things will look once the baby is born in May 2011. I know there will be some changes, but I plan to continue running my businesses, seeing clients for therapy, and teaching yoga. Part of my vision is that I will work from home more, likely by teaching online classes or tele-courses. I also want to devote some serious time to my writing and starting a non-profit. I feel that it is probably wisest to have a flexible plan for life after baby! When I picture December 2011, I would like to reflect on the year and feel that balance is the word that encapsulates my year. A balance of family and work, business and play, effort and surrender, and routine and flexibility.

Monthly Goal Reflection: December

November Dreams:

• Host Women's Wellness Retreat with the lovely Kim David on November 13th: Yes! We had a lovely group of women! Such an inspiring and relaxing day...
• Celebrate the baptism of the precious daughter of one of my oldest friends: Yes! Little Penny is adorable and it was so good to visit with her and her family.
  
• Take 4 days off from the office for Thanksgiving: Yes! Unfortunately, I was sick most of the time but I did relax a lot.
  
• Share some big news with the world (coming soon!): Yes! In case you haven't heard, I am pregnant! 16 weeks today :-)
  
• See For Colored Girls: Yes, I took myself to the movies and I really enjoyed it. This was a very powerful film , I highly recommend it.
  
• Donate a Thanksgiving dinner to a local shelter: I was a little late to put together the dinner myself so instead I donated to Community Missions holiday fund.
  
• Outline plan for new website: In my mind, yes. On paper, no :-)
  
• Care for myself with plenty of trips to the gym and dates on the meditation cushion: I still haven't been to the gym. Being pregnant has taken a toll on my energy level. However, I know if I can get myself there, I will feel more energized after some movement. I have been meditating more, but not with the regularity that I'd like to see myself commit to. A work in progress, I guess...
  
• Explore some more Art Journaling before Art Journal Love Letters ends: Yes! I love Art Journaling and I carved out some time for it this month.

December Dreams:

• Reflect on this year and plan for next year with the help of Reverb 10
• Spa date with my sister for facials & pedicures - aaahhhh!!!!
  
• Bake holiday cookies with my grandma
• Host Girls' Night with the YaYas & celebrate my bff's birthday
  
• See Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• Get yummy hot beverage and take a drive to admire holiday lights
  
• Two full weeks of vacation - whoo hoo!!!
• Celebrate my sweet stepdad and my fabulous sister's birthdays
  
• Megan's holiday chorus concert (she has a solo!)
  
• Walk 2-3x/week
• Daily meditation, even if done in bed
  
• Conference call with my writing buddies from the SARK retreat (hello writing accountability)
  
• Outline new blog ideas in preparation for 2011
  
• Celebrate the holidays with family, soak up every minute of their company, and take lots of pictures of all the adorable kiddos!

A Powerful 3 Minutes

Today I had a few spare minutes in between clients and I stopped over to Andrea's beautiful blog where I came upon this post complete with a mini-meditation about setting an intention for the week. I figured, "hey, I have three minutes to listen to this meditation" and went for it. I settled into my office chair and started to breathe a little more deeply. When Andrea's voice instructed me to open up to my intention a little voice inside my head said "surrender" and tiny tears trickled down my cheeks.

If I am really honest with myself I have to say that I have been expending a lot of energy trying to control things over which I have no control, trying to make things into something different than they are, instead of simply surrendering and accepting life as it is in this particular moment. I guess I am scared to just let go and trust that everything will be okay. But all my worrying and fighting against the way things truly are right now hasn't really gotten me anywhere, except frustrated.

In my Planner Pad there is a space that says "Major Goal This Week." I wrote (in purple pen) surrender.

November Dreams

image credit

I'm a bit late with my Monthly Goal Reflection this month. I've been easing my way into November. Dug through the closet to find my winter jacket, made a trek to Tarjay for some gloves, and I think I'm finally ready to accept chilly November into my life!

October Dreams:

• My first radio interview! I had a great time with this! I was pretty nervous at first, but all in all I think it went very well! You can listen to the podcast here
  
• Go apple picking with family: Yes, we made a trip to Brown's Berry Patch for apples and pumpkins! It was a beautiful day and we had a great time. We are still enjoying our apples, including some of my hubby's yummy apple crisp!
  
• Finalize Yoga for Living Wellness CD: Work in progress. A lot more goes into publishing a CD than I realized. I'm working on taking small steps in the right direction on this sometimes overwhelming project.
  
• Finalize new marketing materials for studio: I'm going to call this a work in progress as well. So far, I have put a few ads in the local paper and I also wrote an article for a health magazine. There has been a good response and our classes are growing! Now I am on to contemplating some kind of brochure or postcard I can have on hand when people stop in asking about our classes.
  
• Print family pictures to fill new frames: I chose the pictures to print! Now I just have to upload them online and order prints or get them printed somewhere locally.
  
• Host first-ever yoga birthday party at the studio: Yes! We had a great time! Yoga Birthday Parties are now an official offering at Tree of Life Yoga Studio!
  
• Bask in every glorious second of writing retreat with SARK: Done! What an amazing weekend. I heart retreating :-)
  
• Celebrate Tree of Life Yoga Studio's two-year anniversary with a festive party! Yes! Thank you to everyone who stopped in to celebrate with us! I can't believe it has been two years already!
  
• Get tickets to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra while they are in town (been talking about doing this for years): Yes, I am SO excited! This has been on my holiday wish list for years!
  
• Cultivate regular meditation practice by starting with 5 minutes in the morning: Not even close is probably an understatement... why do I resist meditation so much?
  
• Brainstorm + develop a new regular blog posting more focused on wellness content: I have brainstormed a bit, but I don't think I am ready to reveal anything just yet! Still working on the details :-)

November Dreams:

• Host Women's Wellness Retreat with the lovely Kim David on November 13th (only two spots left so be sure to let me know if you are local and would like to reserve a space)
• Celebrate the baptism of the precious daughter of one of my oldest friends
• Take 4 days off from the office for Thanksgiving
• Share some big news with the world (coming soon!)
  
• See For Colored Girls
• Donate a Thanksgiving dinner to a local shelter
• Outline plan for new website
• Care for myself with plenty of trips to the gym and dates on the meditation cushion
• Explore some more Art Journaling before Art Journal Love Letters ends

What are you dreaming of this November?

My SARK Adventure

The Sanctuary at Omega

Last weekend I drove to The Omega Institute to attend a writing workshop with the one and only SARK!

It was kind of a long drive (6 hours) to make on my own, but I knew it would be worth it. I stopped at the public library and picked out 6 books on tape to keep me company. I have never listened to a book on tape before and was surprised when I put the first one in and saw it was 13.5 hours long! I didn't finish it during the drive and for the first time in more than a year I miss having a commute - I'm dying to hear how the story ends! (It's The Condition by Jennifer Haigh.)

So the book kept me occupied and the drive was pleasant. The trees were still bursting with brilliant colors. (I was afraid they might be past their peak.) I arrived at Omega around 5pm, checked in, and headed to my cabin. I shared a room with a sweet woman named Neena who showed me pictures of the 6 (!) dogs she and her husband foster. I enjoyed a delicious dinner and then it was time to meet SARK! (Actually, I spotted her in the dining hall during dinner but was nervous to approach her.)

my cabin

SARK had meditated on our names and made us each a name tag with an adjective that came to her as she thought of us. Mine was "Willing Mindy," which I had a tough time interpreting... There were less than 20 people in the group (I was certain there would be hundreds!), mostly women, but two brave men were there as well.

SARK is just as amazingly fabulous as I imagined she would be! All weekend long she told us enchanting stories. She gracefully held the space for our group and supported us on our own transformational journeys.

We were each assigned a mentor for the weekend. Mine was a beautiful soul named Creative Susan and we were definitely a perfect match! We have a lot in common in terms of our backgrounds and our current writing projects.

We actually didn't write very much, which may be surprising because it was a writing workshop (based on SARK's book Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper). We did talk a lot about strategies for writing and how to move forward on our projects.

My top take-aways from the weekend are:

• Work on our Creative Dreams is meant to be delight*full (delight is where the best work happens)
• When teaching a techniques use stories to inspire people
• Action before inspiration (just do it)
• Develop habits of completion
• We all have something fabulous to offer the world (you never know what impact your story might have)
  

The last thing we did as a group was something called Stand and Receive. Each person took turns standing in front of the group and the group called out things they admired and appreciated about the person. I found this to be pretty powerful. I think we should start doing it at birthday parties with the people we love! Just imagine being surrounded by people all calling out fabulous things about you! We definitely need more of that!

I got lost on my way home. But after an entire weekend of SARK talking about transforming our stories, I couldn't bring myself to be annoyed. Instead I focused on the beautiful mountain views, the great book on tape, and the sweet girl at the gas station who gave me perfect directions to get back on track. My intentions for the weekend centered around resting and rejuvenating myself and I definitely returned home feeling like I had pressed the reset button.

A Few Marvelous Things This Monday

I have been totally defunct on my blog posting this month. Mostly because I have been allowing myself to get caught up in the whole idea of not having "enough" time to put together something "good enough" to post. Does that ever happen to you? You want to do something "perfectly" and therefore end up not doing it all? I think people can live their whole lives like this, never writing at all because they are afraid of writing poorly or never painting or sewing or whatever other creative dreams we might not act on because we are afraid of doing it poorly.

Well I am blasting through that fear this morning. I only have a few minutes but I am determined to write something!

I returned home last night from my retreat with the fabulous SARK. I have so much to say about the experience, but for right now I am still soaking up all of the deliciousness of the amazing workshops, beautiful people, and gorgeous scenery. I'll be pondering my top take-aways later this week and posting them here.

For this morning I'd like to share a few things I think are just marvelous!

1. For getting your gratitude on: Goddess Leonie created this fantastic FREE pocket gratitude diary and I picked up this brand new book over the weekend
2. For chilling out: I am currently obsessed with Brett Dennen's music (I listen on pandora.com)
3. Another reason to meditate and a plethora of eco-friendly cushion options (maybe I just need the right cushion and I'll suddenly morph into a devoted meditator!)

Have a Magnificent Monday :-)

How little productivity can you stand?

Hello Dear Readers!

I hope you are doing well!

Here in Niagara Falls it feels like it has been raining for days and it is COLD! Vrrr... It is one of those days when I just want to stay wrapped up under the covers in bed and read or watch movies all day. Unfortunately, life calls and a movie marathon is not in the cards for me today. However, I am practicing doing as little as possible. Sounds so funny, huh?!?

I'm typically huge on productivity, probably to a fault. But because of some things going on in my life right now I have been forced to slow way down. I've been doing things that would have been unheard of a few short years ago such as doing the bare minimum needed to get through the day and waiting until the last minute to complete projects (gasp). And you know what? Life is going on just fine. No one has fallen apart yet because I opted for a nap over cleaning the toilets. Life feels so simple right now. I know this won't last but in the meantime I am appreciating that it is not the worst thing in the world to be forced to slow down.

Looking to slow down a bit? Here are a few ideas:

1. Take a nap
2. Practice Yin Yoga
3. Focus solely on sipping your tea or coffee
   
4. Take a Bed Day (spend the day in bed, you can work while there if you'd like)
   
5. Single task
6. Meditate
7. Say no
8. Leave the dishes in the sink
9. Focus on what is truly essential (hint: it is not all truly essential)

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October Dreams

I cannot believe it is October already! September feels like it flew by! Let's review...

September Dreams/Goals:

• Seamless start to the new school year for my family: Yes! It has been a seamless transition and we have had a great school year so far!
  
• Publish Yoga for Living Wellness CD: This is in progress, but I did take the step of creating an account with the company I want to work with for publication. I'm still finalizing the details.
  
• Create all new marketing materials for Tree of Life Yoga Studio: In progress. I did settle on a slogan, "breathe your way into balance" and spent time on new brochures.
  
• Host first-ever Vision Board PLAYshop at the studio on September 16th: Postponed
  
• Launch my first online course, Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle: Yes! I am so excited about this course! You can still join if you'd like by visiting the website.
  
• Renovations finished at the wellness center + 3 new offices rented to like-minded professionals that will add to our center's community: I wish I could say this was done! And I wish I had more control over this project, but I am at the mercy of my contractors... Hopefully they will be done soon!!!
  
• Gather another fabulous group of women for the Living Wellness Lifestyle for Women starting September 23rd: Postponed - starts this Thursday!
  
• Buy new houseplants for home + re-pot office plants: Yes, to new houseplants. No, to re-potting.
  
• Plant some mums at home + office: Yes, but my mums died already... I have such a black thumb for someone who loves plants and flowers.
  
• Play board games around the warm fire on a cool night: Yes, we did enjoy board games and a fire. Perfect Fall activities :-)
  
• Work with LonoWood Art Company to create the perfect sign for Living Wellness of Niagara: In progress!
  
• Add some variety to my physical activity routine - maybe swimming laps or a free weight routine in addition to my typical running + yoga: I did look up a free weight routine, but I haven't given it a go yet. I've been sticking to running or walking and yoga. Maybe it is not so bad to just stick with what works for me.
  
• Ponder taking a solo Fall retreat... Yes! I am registered for a writing retreat with SARK at the Omega Institute! SO excited!!!
  
• Shop for new picture frames and update family photos around the house: In progress. I picked up some new picture frames, but I haven't decided on which photos to print yet.
  
• Purge more clutter when I transition from summer clothing to fall wardrobe: Done!
  
• Spend time every week working on my book - schedule it in pen in my planner! Done! This week it is my turn to share at Women Who Write - I am a bit nervous!

October Dreams/Goals:

• My first radio interview - tomorrow at 3:30pm! You can listen here
  
• Go apple picking with family
• Finalize Yoga for Living Wellness CD
  
• Finalize new marketing materials for studio
• Print family pictures to fill new frames
• Host first-ever yoga birthday party at the studio
  
• Bask in every glorious second of writing retreat with SARK
  
• Celebrate Tree of Life Yoga Studio's two-year anniversary with a festive party!
• Get tickets to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra while they are in town (been talking about doing this for years)
• Cultivate regular meditation practice by starting with 5 minutes in the morning
• Brainstorm + develop a new regular blog posting more focused on wellness content

I think that is it for me this month. Right now I feel in need of a restful, low pressure environment and I am planning to honor that as best I can. Sometimes I lose sight of the fact that not every moment or every week or every month can be filled to the brim with doing and producing. Fall reminds me that it is natural to take some time to slow down and turn inward. Life occurs in cycles, just as the seasons do. Sometimes (for me at least) it can be challenging to allow myself to just be without any emphasis on getting things done, but this month I'll be giving it a try!

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Wishcasting Wednesday

Today's question from Jamie Ridler: What do you wish for an abundance of?

I wish for an abundance of FAITH.
Faith that everything will be okay.
Faith that if I build it they will come.
Faith that I am making the right decisions.
Faith that I am moving in the right direction.
Faith that I will make "enough" money doing work I love.
Enough faith to stop worrying (it doesn't really help anyways, huh?).
A giant, enormous heap of faith that allows me to simply let go and just trust.

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Pursue Your Passion in Your PJs!

I am soooo excited about my very first online course starting THIS Friday!!!

The Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle grew out of my personal dream of connecting with brave souls the world over (I'm dreaming big here) in order to bring their dreams to life!

I believe we all have dreams percolating within. Your dream might be to start a business, run a marathon, learn to knit, take a fabulous vacation, or write a book. Or you may have a feeling that you have a big dream deep inside, but you aren't quite sure what it is just yet. In my opinion way too many of us put off our dreams in the name of obligations such as time, money, energy, etc. However, there are steps you can take TODAY toward bringing your dreams to life! If you are ready to create the life you’ve always imagined plan to join me for the Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle starting this Friday, 9/24!

I’ve created this 13-week e-course to help you get clear on what you want (so don't worry if you aren't sure what your dream is - the course devotes two weeks to exploring just that) and teach you how to take steps toward your dreams. As someone whose transformed her life the past two years, I have firsthand experience with the power of naming your dreams and taking steps toward them. In this e-course I will share with you the strategies and resources I have used (and continue to use) to do just that.

The Details:

Your investment grants you access to a private blog overflowing with practical content and inspiration! New content will be posted every two weeks beginning September 24 and ending December 17. Topics will include using visualization & journal writing to clarify your dreams, goal setting and time management strategies, the importance of self-care, and more. The course is packed with tons of self-reflection and simple, doable tasks to move you closer toward your dreams!

September 24th - December 17th, at your convenience

Investment: $60

You can register online here

Feel free to email me at mscime710@roadrunner.com with any questions! I hope you will join me for what is sure to be a transformational journey through the remainder of 2010!

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Week in Review

Happy Friday!

I hope you had a marvelous week - here's what mine included:

• Open house at my daughter's new school
• Worked on my book - up to 8,904 words!
  
• Voted for primary day
  
• Met with 12 individual clients
• Taught 3 yoga classes
• Oodles of time working on my new e-course that starts next week - so excited!
• Got my copy of Ordinary Sparkling Moments by Christine Mason Miller in the mail
• Took my daughter to her first dance class
• Moved for at least 30 minutes everyday
  
• Arranged for a cleaning service for the house (a first for me)
• Played many games of Skip-Bo
• Started pulling images for my Fall Vision Board + getting clear on what I want this season
• Switched out my capris for sweaters
  

Wishcasting Wednesday with Jamie Ridler

Each Wednesday Jamie Ridler poses a wishful question and invites her readers to respond. I am certainly not a regular with this practice, but today's question struck a chord with me.

Jamie asked, "How do you wish to come out of your shell?"

I wish to come out of my shell by being more comfortable talking about my business.

I pretty much turn into a rambling idiot or a silent statue at the mere mention of the word "networking." However, I have learned that I don't need to think of traditional, formal networking as the only way of promoting my business. (Just typing the words "promoting my business" makes me nervous!) I'm not sure what my big hangup is when it comes to talking about myself and the work I do, but I wish with all my heart for it to become easier and feel more natural.

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Week in Review

I've decided to start posting my Week in Review each Friday. I've noticed that a lot of bloggers do this and it seems like a nice way to wrap up the week and stay in touch with my readers regularly!

This week I....

• Enjoyed a day off for Labor Day & hung out with my family on my sister's deck
• Took my daughter to her first day of 7th grade - OMG!
• Adjusted to my new routine of getting up at 6:30am and going to bed at 10pm
  
• Typed up the outline for my book & spent a good hour working on it
• Signed up for this Virtual Retreat
• Downloaded some goodies from Goddess Leonie's Goddess Circle
• Went to yoga at 12pm on a Wednesday!
• Ran 2 miles
• Taught Lunchtime Yoga
• Met with 8 individual therapy clients
• Worked on new brochures for Tree of Life Yoga Studio
• Ordered a ton of new books on Amazon
• Spent some time with my journal & visual journal reflecting on goals for the rest of 2010
• Researched podcasting

This weekend I'm looking forward to a date with my hubby, Sunday morning yoga class, and relaxing around the house, probably while burning some pumpkin spice candles and listening to the Madonna station on pandora.com. Have a great weekend!

NEW!!! Dreamy Fall Offerings

I am SO pleased to announce that this month I am kicking off my new seasonal offerings designed to inspire you to bring your dreams to life!

The first is an in-person event to be held at my studio in Niagara Falls.

NEW!!! Fall Vision Board PLAYshop

Have you ever created a Vision Board?

I adore using images and collage to craft a visual representation of my dreams/goals! And I have experienced the power of working with Vision Boards in my own life. (My Vision Board was even mentioned in an article in The Niagara Gazette about our wellness center earlier this year!)

Whether you are new to the process or have been using Vision Boards for years, this PLAYshop is for you! Vision Boards are fun and powerful creative tools on the journey toward bringing our dreams to life. In this PLAYshop we will set an intention to connect with our deepest dreams and desires and then gather words and images which we will use to create a Vision Board. All materials are included, but feel free to bring your own magazines or images if you’d like to include them on your Vision Board. Join me for an evening that is sure to be filled with fun, laughter, and inspiration!

Thursday, September 16th 6:30pm-8:30pm

$25 includes all materials + refreshments Space is limited to 10 participants, pre-registration is required Contact me at 716-939-0892 or mscime710@roadrunner.com to reserve your space


The second offering will be online so you can participate from wherever you are!


I'll be following up the Vision Board PLAYshop with my first-ever Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle!


Are you ready to create the life you’ve always imagined? Are you committed to taking inspired action toward your dreams?


Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle

I've created this 13-week e-course to help you get clear on what you want and teach you how to take steps toward your dreams. As someone whose transformed her life the past two years, I have firsthand experience with the power of naming your dreams and taking steps toward them. In this e-course I will share with you the strategies and resources I have used (and continue to use) to do just that! This e-course is very close to my heart because I truly believe in order to fully live well we must honor our dreams.

Your $60 investment grants you access to a private blog overflowing with practical content and inspiration! This e-course is designed to hold you accountable so please only join if you are serious about bringing your dreams to life!

New content will be posted every two weeks beginning September 24 and ending December 17. Topics will include using visualization & journal writing to clarify your dreams, goal setting and time management strategies, the importance of self-care, and more. The course is packed with tons of self-reflection and simple, doable tasks to move you closer toward your dreams! Make the most of the remainder of 2010 with this powerful program!


September 24th - December 17th, at your convenience

$60 or sign up for the Vision Board PLAYshop + Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle for only $75

Contact me at 716-939-0892 or mscime710@roadrunner.com to reserve your space today!

I am SO excited about these new offerings and hope you are too! Feel free to comment, call, or email with any questions!

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September Dreams/Goals

I don't know about you, but I am excited for Fall to arrive! I know technically there are still a few weeks until Autumn rolls in, but September will be here tomorrow and I am dreaming of all things Fall - crisp days, hot cider, apple picking, pumpkin spice, beautiful foliage...

So let's see how things went with my dreams/goals for this month.

August Dreams/Goals:

• Successful delivery of professional development to local school district: Yes, I spent 10+ hours with a committee designing a School-Wide Positive Behavior Program. Not something you probably ever heard me mention here before! This project is a remnant of my past career focus and when it ends next year I will no longer be doing this type of consulting.
  
• Have fun & make new connections while doing all-day workshop on the Living Wellness Lifestyle for adolescent girls at a local university: Yes! I had a great time spending the day with about 20 girls. We practiced yoga and meditation, created skits about assertive communication, crafted empowerment jewelry, and more! I will definitely be offering more programs like this in the future!
  
• Host private yoga class for local agency: Yes! I really enjoyed this group and hope that they will be back for more yoga soon!
  
• Host the YaYas for Girls Night: Girls Night was downsized to just my bff and I so we opted to go out for sushi instead of staying in. I adore monthly girls only time!
  
• Continue with new rules for work schedule - no more than 3 clients back-to-back and time for lunch scheduled in every day: Yes, I think I stuck with this all month and it has continued to make my days more relaxing. I am loving the laid-back pace I've set for this summer.
  
• Family picnic at parents' lake house to welcome family from Boston: Yes! It was wonderful to spend the day by the lake chatting with family and enjoying good food!
  
• Travel to Long Island to visit my husband's family: Yes! We just got back Sunday night after visiting with family and friends. We also spent a day on Fire Island laying in the sun and dipping our toes into the ocean - one of my favorite ways to spend a day!
  
• Review recent journal entries + notes from e-courses to create lists of to-do/to-ponder/to-read: Yes, this is one of the first things I did this month and I am now working on doing, pondering, and reading all of the things on the index cards I created :-)
  
• Read for pleasure + business development: Yes, I have been reading a lot lately! Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott (which makes me want to write fiction and I don't even read fiction), The E-Myth by Michael Gerber, and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle were my main reads this past weekend while we traveled.
  
• Write every day for 30 minutes: I'm going to call this a work in progress. I have not been working on my book every day for 30 minutes, that is for sure! Ugh... I hit a bit of a wall and I'm still working through it. I have been journaling (but not daily) and, as you may have noticed, I have not been blogging as much either. Maybe I'm just in a writing funk lately. I'm sure it will work itself out soon enough!
  
• Publish Yoga for Living Wellness CD: Ugh... STILL have not done this!
  
• Order that wallpaper...: Yes! Finally! The wallpaper is here and.... my husband doesn't like it. LOL! I am still working on him though so we will see...
  
• Clean out my daughter's room in preparation for new school year: I have not done much of this, but for some unknown (but welcomed) reason my daughter has been doing this herself! Awesome! I will probably help her out a bit over the long weekend, but she has done a pretty amazing job on her own.
  
• Continue with self-care routine of monthly massage and pedicure, weekly Artist Date, weekly yoga class at another studio, and daily creative mini-retreat: Yes, yes, yes! These are the things that keep me sane!
  
• Brainstorm what I want my Fall schedule to look like and start taking steps toward making it happen: Yes! I've decided I want my Fall schedule to look a lot like my summer schedule! So that is my plan! I'm not completely sure if I can maintain my 3.5 days working out of the house routine, but I am going to try.
  
• Start free-weight routine to strengthen arms (any suggestions on resources for this?): Never looked into this...
  
• Go to the beach, play with my new stamps, pack a picnic and head down to Shakespeare in the Park, take a bike ride with my husband, go out for sushi, drink some amazing wine from California, and just generally savor every moment of August! Yes! I did all of those things except take a bike ride. August has been a fabulous, relaxing month for the most part.

September Dreams/Goals:

• Seamless start to the new school year for my family
• Publish Yoga for Living Wellness CD
  
• Create all new marketing materials for Tree of Life Yoga Studio
• Host first-ever Vision Board PLAYshop at the studio on September 16th
  
• Launch my first online course, Dare to Live Your Dreams Online Circle
• Renovations finished at the wellness center + 3 new offices rented to like-minded professionals that will add to our center's community
• Gather another fabulous group of women for the Living Wellness Lifestyle for Women starting September 23rd
• Buy new houseplants for home + re-pot office plants
• Plant some mums at home + office
• Play board games around the warm fire on a cool night
• Work with LonoWood Art Company to create the perfect sign for Living Wellness of Niagara
• Add some variety to my physical activity routine - maybe swimming laps or a free weight routine in addition to my typical running + yoga
  
• Ponder taking a solo Fall retreat...
  
• Shop for new picture frames and update family photos around the house
• Purge more clutter when I transition from summer clothing to fall wardrobe
• Spend time every week working on my book - schedule it in pen in my planner!

What are your plans for September?

What's on your bookshelf?

This week my writing teacher asked me to bring a list of books by my bedside. For years now I have read at least 5-10 books at a time. I read almost exclusively nonfiction so reading many books simultaneously is not a problem like it might be if I was trying to keep straight several plots and characters in fiction books.

Here is what I am reading right now...

• Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach
• The E-Myth by Michael Gerber
• If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland
• Style Statement by Carrie McCarthy & Danielle LaPorte
  
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port
• The Not So Big Life by Sarah Susanka
• New Moon by Stephanie Meyer (yup, I am pretty far behind with the books, but don't worry I've seen all the movies... lol)
  
• Reinventing Eve by Kim Chernin

What's on your bookshelf?

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The Power of Play

Good afternoon darling readers!

I hope you are doing well and enjoying a fabulous Friday!

Let me tell you about my day so far...

I awoke naturally around 8:30am, today being the only day this week I do not have to set an alarm. I wandered downstairs and found the hubby making his coffee, which meant I couldn't make mine (he drinks regular and I am strictly decaf now). So I meandered back upstairs, started checking email and pondering what to do with the day. I worked on my book for a few minutes, but was feeling uninspired so I went back online to browse some blogs.

Eventually, I went back downstairs to make my coffee and chat with the hubby about our most recent renovation project at the wellness center, the grocery list, and other such enticing topics! Finally a bit after 10am I decided to start reading through my visual journal. I used three colored index cards and labeled them "to-do, to-read, to-ponder." My visual journal dates back to March 2010 and it was really interesting to see how my ideas and my business have grown since then. By this time it was about 11am and I started to think "I'm wasting the day away." It is pretty unusual for me to spend that many hours basically doing nothing...

So I hopped in the shower and that is when it happened! I had a gorgeous aha moment!

More to come on that later, but my point here is that all of my idling and "doing nothing" lead me up to that aha!

That moment in the shower reminded me of my theme for this summer -PLAY!

Play is an important part of creating and no matter what you "do" with your life, you are creating something!
Looking back on my index cards from earlier this morning, I see that I jotted "the difference between being lazy and giving myself space" on the To-Ponder card. I think all too often we perceive playtime as laziness, especially those of us who tend to be "doers," but there is immense value in "being" without any goal to be achieved or tangible thing to be produced. Although I schedule in an Artist Date for myself every week and a 30-minute creative mini-retreat nearly daily, I still struggle with idleness - particularly when I am wanting to create something. What am I learning and re-learning is that you can't force creation AND that periods of "doing nothing" are an important and natural part of the process of creating.

So go ahead and take some time to "do nothing" today or over the weekend - you may be surprised by the results!

August Dreams & Goals

I can't believe it is August already! July went by so quickly for me, especially since I was on vacation for the last two weeks of the month. Today is my first day back in the office!




So let's review July's Dreams/Goals:

• Celebrate 4th of July with a party at my brother's house! Yes! We had a great time - my brother has an awesome backyard - perfect for parties - and there were grilled veggies galore!
  
• Enjoy every second of being in Paris!!! Yes, yes, yes! SO much more to come on this - I promise!
  
• Celebrate my 32nd Birthday! Yes! I was actually traveling solo on my birthday, but I took myself out for a lovely dinner at Aladdin's on the canal (photo above was taken there).
  
• Celebrate my 2nd Wedding Anniversary! Yes! We went to one of my favorite restaurants, Schimschacks, with another couple. I savored the Artichoke appetizer and splurged on a fantastic bottle of Pinot Grigio! Yum!
  
• Travel to Rochester for yoga training & reconnect with yogi buddies from training in April! Yes! I spent my birthday weekend in Rochester with a fabulous group of women (and a few men) studying yoga more deeply, especially mindfulness and staying connected with the present moment. It was wonderful!
  
• Celebrate my cousin's baptism! Yes! Another fabulous family party filled with good food & great times!
  
• Welcome newest cousin to the world - she should be arriving any day now! Yes! Violet Pearl (isn't that a gorgeous name?) arrived on July 13th!
  
• Join writing group to be held at the studio. OMG. I'm so terrified/excited! Yes! I am loving "Women Who Write." The teacher, Wendy, is so sweet and patient! And because of her I have committed to working on my book everyday for 30 minutes!
  
• Relax with monthly pedicure, preferably in the company of my favorite 12 year-old! Yes! Actually I think I have had two pedicures in the past month!
  
• Enjoy now-monthly massage with Gina. Ahhh... yes! This is such a treat and I adore every minute of it! This month she even did some work on my sinuses because I had a bit of a headache. Love, love, love getting massages!
  
• Order wallpaper for bathroom... No... (picture me with my head hanging in shame). This seems like it should be a simple task, but for some reason I just never seem to get to it.
  
• Publish Yoga for Living Wellness CD. No... same as above. I just haven't made the time for this. I think the issue is these are things I can't do on my own - I need to ask for some help.
  
• Listen intently during private session with Medium/Psychic Ellen Bourn. Yes! She prepared my chart and it was really interesting. I'm thinking of having another meeting with her.
  
• Finish reading Book Yourself Solid & The E-Myth. No... but I did read part of Style Statement (LOVE this book), Secrets of the Zona Rosa (the book we are using in writing group - highly recommend), and all of The Notebook (a sweet vacation read).
  
• Play as much as possible in order to welcome in Perception & Clarity about next steps for my businesses/marketing of my brand. I think I have been playing A LOT! I enjoyed the two weeks of vacation from my private practice spent relaxing and hanging out with my family (including a few margaritas at my parents' lake house), as well as an entire amazing week in Paris! The clarity is coming slowly, but surely!

For August, I'm keeping with the idea of slowing down and playing more. I will be sticking to my 3.5 day (outside the home) work week (would love to make this a permanent schedule). So with that in mind, here are my August Dreams/Goals:

• Successful delivery of professional development to local school district
• Have fun & make new connections while doing all-day workshop on the Living Wellness Lifestyle for adolescent girls at a local university
• Host private yoga class for local agency
• Host the YaYas for Girls Night
• Continue with new rules for work schedule - no more than 3 clients back-to-back and time for lunch scheduled in every day
• Family picnic at parents' lake house to welcome family from Boston
• Travel to Long Island to visit my husband's family
• Review recent journal entries + notes from e-courses to create lists of to-do/to-ponder/to-read
• Read for pleasure + business development
• Write every day for 30 minutes
• Publish Yoga for Living Wellness CD
• Order that wallpaper...
• Clean out my daughter's room in preparation for new school year
• Continue with self-care routine of monthly massage and pedicure, weekly Artist Date, weekly yoga class at another studio, and daily creative mini-retreat
  
• Brainstorm what I want my Fall schedule to look like and start taking steps toward making it happen
• Start free-weight routine to strengthen arms (any suggestions on resources for this?)
• Go to the beach, play with my new stamps, pack a picnic and head down to Shakespeare in the Park, take a bike ride with my husband, go out for sushi, drink some amazing wine from California, and just generally savor every moment of August!

What are you dreaming of this month?

Home from Paris

Bonjour! I am home from Paris! We had an amazing time and I promise to share plenty of stories and pictures! (Like this one showing the view from our hotel room - so gorgeous!)

I've gotten back into the swing of things quite easily! I am proud to report that I suffered no jet lag on either leg of the trip - lots of water and legs-up-the-wall did the trick! Yesterday I taught my lunchtime yoga class and attended the Women Who Write group in the evening. Today was filled with catching up on emails, handling some accounting, going out for breakfast with my daughter and her bff, getting mani/pedis, a private reading with medium & psychic Ellen Bourn, and a fundraiser for our mayor.

I can't believe it will be August in a few short days! I'm already dreaming of seeing Eat, Pray, Love on the big screen, doing back-to-school shopping with my daughter, and enjoying every last second of summer....

Bonsoir!

Sophistication and Success

Earlier this week I was browsing my bookshelves at the office and picked up The Sound of Paper by Julia Cameron. This book is all about starting from scratch and it is written in super short chapters (2-3 pages mostly), with a short task at the end of each chapter. For me, it is the perfect book to keep on my desk for a little inspiration throughout the day!

One of the tasks Julia suggests is listing 25 things that represent sophistication and success to you.

Here's a sampling from my list:

• fabulous vacations
• monthly massages
• TranquiliT yoga togs
• fresh flowers
• an assistant
• owning more than property (preferably a beach house!)
• a good bag for work (I love my Coach bag, but it seems that it is actually a diaper bag, LOL)
• Papaya Art! office supplies
• red wine from Viader
• amazing art adorning the walls at home + work
• organic chocolate
• good furniture, especially bookshelves :-)
• leisure time for Artist Dates, trips to the beach
  
• pens, pencils, and markers in all colors and sizes

After making my list, I realized how many of those things I already have in my life!

I also think it is also important to obtain the things on our lists if we can. For example, if I splurge on Papaya Art! office supplies and having them on my desk reminds me of my success, I believe that sends a powerful message.

What represents sophistication and success to you?

Image from Papaya Art!