Next Steps

Turkey Head

Proof, that I've raised a compassionate child.

My daughter posted this image to her facebook with the caption:

This is what I see when I look at a dead turkey.

Narcissus and Me

I can't believe this is the first time I've tried growing paperwhites. I saw the jumble of brown bulbs in a basket labeled 50% off at the botanic garden last weekend. I bought five. I wish I'd taken them all.

Here's what they looked like yesterday after nestling in a soup bowl for one week.

Today, I could't wait to get home and check out their progress. Why does the rapid growth of narcissus bulbs make me smile so?

 

 

Toss Out the Gurus

What is better than self-help books, teleconferences with a guru, coaching calls, or career counseling seminars in tropical paradises? Paper and pen and a bit of quiet time.

Today I made 3 lists.

1) What serves me. What am I doing that accomplishes what I want, is good for me, makes me happy.

2) What does not serve me--the things I do that are not good for me, distract me from my goals, makes me unhappy.

3) Goals and actions that set a clear direction for the future.

Sounds simple, right? Taking a break from packing my stuff (10 days until the movers arrive), I sat down at my newly cleaned desk with a pad of paper and my favorite pen.

What am I doing that serves me?

I sat for awhile. Then I shifted uncomfortably in my chair and tucked my hair a bit nervously behind my ears. I sat a bit more. To get the juices flowing, I wrote the number 1 on my paper forcefully, hoping that it would jog some thoughts. Really? Am I really not doing anything that serves me?

Finally, something occurred to me

1. Being in nature. Yes, that serves me. I enjoy nature and it makes me calm and happy.

2. Praying. Praying reminds me that I am not alone and that the Universe is a benevolent one.

3. Giving up sugar. (I'm not perfect but I'm definitely eating less sugar than ever before.)

That was all I could think of.  Scary. I have goals and hopes and dreams and I am doing  nothing that serves me or gets me closer to my dreams and goals.

List number two - what am I doing that doesn't serve me? Much easier.

1. Surfing the internet

2. Isolating myself

3. Watching movies I don't want to watch out of boredom

4. Being too busy with work and chores to have fun.

5. Not being mindful, but just going through my daily life out of habit.

6. Not writing.

7. Not meditating, or even just sitting quietly. Not listening to my heart.

8. Eating mindlessly.

9. Being anxious about work.

10. Procrastinating.

11. Speaking before thinking.

12. Gossiping

13. Complaining

I could go on for a while, but the point was made. I do plenty of things that prevent me from being happy and accomplish nothing. These busy-ness activities take up so much time that there is no time left for feeding the creativity that lurks within.

So what is it I want for this year? For the rest of my life? I don't need to think very hard. I do not seek fame, or even fortune or recognition or accomplishments to be proud of. I seek joy. I want to be happy in the way that little kids are happy, running while giggling at a butterfly or at the way the sun feels on their skin. That kind of senseless happiness--infectious and funny and alive.

Like this:

 

How to get my elbow to cock at that particular angle, while whistling a tune, and jigging down the sidewalk. Seems simple enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midwinter and Bright Green

This Bosnian Pine in the Chicago Botanic Garden made my heart sing. So green! So alive! In late December. I want one for my new backyard. I'm moving into a house with tiny bedrooms and a big back yard. Maybe I'll sleep outside under the trees.