Mistakes Happen–Then What?
A few weeks ago, I hosted a free online webinar, teaching people some great Mac tips and shortcuts. I had sent out a series of emails beforehand, reminding the people who had signed up when to attend.
One email went out too soon, making it seem like the webinar had already happened.
Because, instead of scheduling it to be sent at 4 pm, after the webinar, it went out at 4 am.
It was a simple mistake.
With minimal consequences.
Sure, a few people were confused, but they emailed me and I explained everything.
You see, when you’re in business, and you’re dealing with automated emails and programs and technology, mistakes are bound to happen.
The question is, what do you do about it?
Do you react, finding blame, spiraling into panic and anxiety and failure?
Or do you take a breath and respond by finding a solution, a way to remedy the situation, maybe even with some humor?
I could have gotten all flustered and bent out of shape about the error.
But instead, I saw it as an opportunity to be transparent.
So I sent out another email and shared what had happened, figuring people would understand, and also be reminded that we all make mistakes. And that it’s OK.
Mistakes happen.
Sure, they can be inconvenient, even costly, sometimes. But if we think we’re never going to slip up, we’re fooling ourselves. And each other.
Mistakes offer us ways to grow and do-over. Mistakes remind us that it’s good to have a backup plan.
Mistakes give us a chance to look at what we are really afraid of.
We’re not afraid of imperfection. We’re afraid of what people might think of us because we made a mistake.
But if we remember that we all make mistakes, perhaps we can respond first, with compassion.
So the next time something doesn’t go quite the way you intended, or you choose a.m. instead of p.m., take a breath and remember, we all make mistakes.
[ssba]How To Take An Instant Vacation
Vacations are fun. Adventure-filled. They help us relax and release. Being in a different place, away from the day in-day out activities of our lives often gives us new perspectives and a renewed sense of ourselves.
Vacations breathe new life into us.
So many people I talk to complain that they haven’t been on a vacation in forever.
They say they don’t have the time, or money, or someone to go with.
But what if you could go on an Instant Vacation, without ever leaving home?
Here’s how:
1. Make a list of all of the things you like to do when you are on vacation.
It could include:
sleeping late
reading a whole book in one day
exploring off-the-beaten-track places
hiking
kayaking
tasting the best local foods
visiting museums
finding a Farmer’s Market
geo-caching
checking out the local art scene
2. Using your home town as the destination, choose something from your list and do it, right where you live.
People often don’t take the time to explore their own backyard. But planning a special day or even just an afternoon for doing something from your list will give you that breather you’re looking for from your regular life.
You’ll discover something about the place you live. And you’ll probably discover something about yourself, too.
I’d love to hear your favorite vacation ideas. Click on the comments below to share.
[ssba]How To Create Your Own Personal Manifestation Manifesto
There’s a famous quote by L. Ron Hubbard: “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
I will add that, “if you express it, it becomes possible.”
Whether it’s through writing or drawing, singing or dancing, cooking or gardening, expressing and embodying our dreams make them visible.
And if they are visible they are tangible.
And if they are tangible, then they are possible.
Creating a Personal Manifestation Manifesto can help you make your dreams possible:
A manifesto is a mission statement, a proclamation, an announcement. For me, it is also a declaration of what I want to manifest, or bring into reality.
A manifesto is written in present tense, as if you are already being, doing having what you are proclaiming.
A Manifestation Manifesto can include things that are already truth for you. And it can include the vision you hold of your truest, most authentic self.
Here’s how to create your own Manifestation Manifesto:
Begin with a blank paper or a page in your journal.
Take a few deep and centering breaths to come into the present moment.
Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a favorite place, really enjoying yourself.
Follow your breath and connect to the person you are in this vision:
• what does it FEEL like to be you?
• what you are proud of in this moment?
• what are your greatest gifts?
• what brings you joy?
• how do you connect to something bigger than yourself?
• what words describe or identify what is most important to you?
Make a list or free-write about this vision.
Now go through your writing and pull out some key words, feelings, ideas. Find the essence of who you are in this joyful vision of yourself.
On a new piece of paper, write:
I AM… finishing each sentence with words that describe and celebrate who you are and this bigger vision you hold for yourself to become.
I AM is powerful.
I AM removes all doubt and fear.
I AM is rooted in courage and faith and possibility.
Now re-write your Manifesto on cardstock, really embodying the words as you write.
Feel free to embellish your Manifestation Manifesto using markers, glitter, magazine cutouts, etc.
Then be sure to hang it up where you will see it, read it and proclaim it for yourself several times every day.
If you’d like to share your Manifesto and REALLY make a proclamation, take a picture of it and email it to me at ruth@nullsparktheheart.com and I’ll post it here for everyone to celebrate!
[ssba]Seeing With New Eyes
So many of us live a life of routine. We drive the same way to work everyday, sit in the same chair with our morning coffee, listen to our favorite, familiar music.
If creativity is how you express what you see, what you feel, how you interpret the world around you, then, if you see something new, you might think about it in a new way and often, that will inspire you to think about other things in new ways, too.
I invite you to shake up your routine and change something about your visual environment so that you can begin to see with new eyes and experience your world in new ways.
Here are just a few suggestions:
Rearrange your furniture
Drive a different way to work
Switch out the art on your walls, or hang some new work
Eat at a new restaurant
Change the picture on your computer screen
Walk to someplace that you might normally drive to
Take all the pictures off of your refrigerator
Sit in a different chair at dinner time
Hang new photos in your office
Sit outside at a different time of day
Take out a piece of paper and write down one or two things that you will do this week to change how you see things around you.
Notice what happens.
I’d love to hear about it.
Feel free to share your observations below by clicking on the comments.
And if you’d like to guess what this is a picture of, enter your guess in the comments. Be sure to include your email address because I’ll be rewarding the first correct guess with a Spark the Heart journal and I’ll need to contact you for your mailing address!
[ssba]When Words are Food
I remember last week, reading some damn good blogs and thinking, I want to write like that again.
I whispered it. It was supposed to be a secret. Not a proclamation.
But the universe is always listening.
And so it was no surprise to me that all this week, big spaces of time have opened up for me.
At first, I filled the space with panic—where were all of my clients? Wasn’t January historically my biggest $$ month of the year?
Then I filled it with jamoca almond fudge ice cream.
Today, it finally dawned on me that this is an opportunity to write. To meet myself in that sacred quiet space where my fingers just follow a bigger energy.
Where I don’t think, I just write.
Where I don’t edit, I just write.
Where, when I’m done, I feel as if I have just savored a most delicious meal.
[ssba]The End Is Just Another Beginning
I can’t believe it’s the last Monday in 2010. It’s been quite a year for me! Really high highs and incredibly low lows. And everything in between.
So often, if we’ve had a loss in our life ( a loved one, a job, a relationship, etc) we say it’s been a bad year. Yes, definitely, it’s been hard, but every moment hasn’t been full of grief. We couldn’t survive if it were.
In the midst of all of the hard stuff there are always moments of hope, of joy, of gratitude.
This last week of the year is an especially opportune time to reflect on ALL of the moments that have made up this year.
It’s easy to list all of the BIG stuff that has happened to us, for us, this year.
But what else has happened? What else have you done?
What are you proud of? What have you accomplished?
Taking the time to acknowledge our lives can be so empowering.
I invite you to find a quiet place and take out a piece of paper.
List TEN things you’ve accomplished this year.
They can be big things, small things, even challenges that you met head on.
They can be steps you’ve taken toward change in your life.
Then read your list OUT LOUD to yourself, in a mirror. Be proud. Be amazed. Be a celebrating fool!
Now take out a new piece of paper and write down FIVE more things you’d like to accomplish this year. Again, big or small, it doesn’t matter.
Post this paper where you will see it everyday, where it will inspire you and remind you what you really want for yourself in this coming year.
I’d love to hear what’s on your list. Please share by clicking on Comments below.
[ssba]5 Simple Ways to Dial Down the Holiday Madness
Today’s post is written by Anna Garrett, President and Founder of the National Association for Women in Healthcare (NAWHC). Anna is passionate about teaching women who work in health care the importance of caring for themselves while caring for others. If you are ready to put yourself back on your to-do list, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription to Thriving in Health Care at http://www.nawhc.com.
The holiday season is here again! And as beautiful and magical as the holiday season ought to be, it is often an invitation to have a super-sized helping of stress.
We shop… we wrap… we entertain (and are entertained)… we eat, we drink, we are merry. We deal with our nutty relatives!
At this time of the year, most of us tend to prioritize everything EXCEPT ourselves. And guess who ends up not having any fun? That’s right… you (and me).
But the holidays are MEANT to be enjoyed! And a little conscious decision-making can help turn that frazzled feeling right around!
Here’s what to do BEFORE you turn into the Grinch:
1. Build in You-Time: Probably a no-brainer, but build in alone-time. Giving yourself time away from the craziness and time to decompress will give your mind and body the rest it needs to go full-steam ahead the rest of the time. At least once a week, do one of the following (or anything else that gives you the break you crave): Take a bath, get a massage, do yoga or meditate, take a walk in a non-crowded place.
2. Say No: This is the time of year when the invitations start piling up. It’s great to be included in parties and events, but you are NOT compelled to say “yes” to everything. Choose a number of events you’d like to attend for the season (zero is allowable) and stick to it. Taking care of yourself will allow you to get what you need to get done and allow you to take care of others when it is really necessary.
3. Shop Online: This is my personal favorite. These days, shopping online has so many advantages than shopping in the stores, so much so that I never set foot in a mall. Staying at home and shopping in your PJs is a great stress reduction technique!
4. Maintain a Healthy Regimen: You may not get to the gym as much as you normally do. And, you may indulge more than you normally do. However, maintaining some healthy balance when it comes to exercise and eating right is important to managing stress. And before you have that third martini, ask yourself, “How do I want to feel tomorrow?” Works wonders!
5. Sleep: Sleep allows our bodies to rejuvenate and rebuild itself for the next day. It may be tempting to stay up late at holiday parties or to get up early to get chores done, but try to manage your time so that you get in a good solid 7 or 8 hours of sleep a night.
The holidays don’t have to be stressful! Small, simple changes can free you up to enjoy your family and friends AND keep your sanity!
I’d love to hear how you take care of yourself during the holidays. You can share your ideas by clicking on the Comments below.
[ssba]The Simple Art of Breathing
"Breathe" ©2008 Kai Lossgott All Rights Reserved
We take about 28,000 breaths a day, inhaling and exhaling, bringing oxygen into our bodies, and releasing toxins and waste we don’t need.
Most of us are shallow breathers. We breathe high into our chests, not deep into the lower lobes of our lungs.
And yet breathing into our lower lobes activates the calming receptors that reside there. Breathing into our lower lungs stimulates the lymphatic system so waste products can be efficiently carried from the body. Breathing into the lower lobes allows the rib cage to be elastic and open.
This deep, whole lung breathing, is also called belly breathing because we can see our bellies rise when we fill our lower lobes with air.
Belly breathing is not hard to do. It requires no special equipment. It just takes practice.
The Practice:
Find a comfortable position, either standing, sitting or lying down.
Breathe in deeply through your nose.
Breathing through your nose is the best way to activate the lower lung receptors.
Inhale deeply and slowly, pulling your breath into your belly.
You might want to place your hand on your belly so you can feel it rise, feel your breath filling you up and expanding you.
Then slowly exhale through your nose, releasing your breath, releasing anything you don’t need, even if you don’t know what that is.
With each slow inhalation, try to follow your breath in, connecting with the energy.
Feel the air as it enters your nostrils.
Follow your breath as it flows into the lungs and notice how deeply it reaches.
As you exhale, feel the used air as it is expelled from your body.
With each inhalation, expand your abdomen gradually by lightly pushing out and down as the oxygen fills the lower lung cavity. Try to maintain a gentle and smooth expansion with the inhalation.
When your abdomen is full, exhale through your nose and pull your abdomen gently back into the body, compressing the lungs from the bottom.
Connect with the rhythm of your breath. With each inhalation your abdomen expands, with each exhalation it contracts.
Repeat for ten cycles, slowly and consciously filling your lungs to maximum capacity and emptying completely with each breath.
Practice belly breathing at least once a day.
You can do it anywhere–standing in line at the grocery store, when you’re stopped at a long traffic light or waiting for a phone call.
Practice belly breathing when you are feeling stressed or have insomnia.
Practice belly breathing when you are feeling calm and present.
Practice belly breathing so that, one day, you will realize that this is how you are breathing all of the time.
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Many people find it difficult to practice breathing when they are reading the directions.
Click here to listen to a breathing meditation that you can download to iTunes. Just right click or, if you use a Mac, hold down the Control key and click on the link, then choose to Download.
I’d love to hear your comments. Just click below to share.
[ssba]Why It’s Good To Cry
I have been crying a lot lately. But that’s not why I’m writing this.
I’m writing this because, for years, I didn’t cry.
Like most of us, I’ve had sorrow and trauma in my past. But instead of feeling it, sharing it and releasing it, I buried it. I tucked my sadness and grief deep and away, convinced that, if I didn’t feel it, it would disappear.
My biggest fear was that, if I started to cry, to FEEL my sadness, that I would never stop.
And so I denied it, avoided it, numbed myself with pot to prevent myself from feeling any kind of vulnerability.
And if something happened in my life that did poke at my vulnerability, I quickly busied myself to avoid confronting any deep feelings.
This “worked” for a long time.
And then it didn’t work at all.
I was always agitated. Crabby. Needy. I wasn’t allowing my body to ebb and flow through ALL of my emotions.
Just like the body needs to laugh and sleep and breathe clean air, the body needs to cry.
Crying is the only mechanism the body has to release certain toxins and chemicals.
Dr. William H. Frey II, a biochemist at the St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center in Minnesota, analyzed two types of tears: the emotional ones (crying when emotionally upset and stressed) and the ones arising from irritants (such as crying from onions).
He found that emotional tears contained more of the protein-based hormones, prolactin, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and leucine enkephalin (natural painkiller), all of which are produced by our body when under stress.
This explains why we usually feel better after a good cry.
Now I cry with ease. I allow my emotions to rise up past that place in my throat where I used to barricade my feelings. I let the tears carry the sadness up and out of my body. I FEEL the feelings as they move through me.
And then I feel a whole lot better.
I invite you to try it. The next time your feelings poke you and you’re tempted to hold back from crying, breathe into the sadness and then breathe it out.
Trust that you’re not going to drown yourself in an never ending tsunami of emotion.
Ride those tears to a new way of release.
I’d love to hear your comments. Click on the comments button to share your thoughts.
[ssba]Marketing Made Magical
We all love when magic happens.
Magic is effortless. Surprising. Bigger than our expectations.
Yet how often are we willing to make room for magic to happen?
I am finding that, when I am willing to let go and create some space (through breathing, being in nature, just being still) magic really does happen and, out of nowhere, a brilliant new idea appears.
This always happens when I am not trying to think of a great new idea but, instead, it is after I have released an open-ended question to the Universe.
EXAMPLE:
I recently created some very cool, fun, easy-to-follow video training tutorials for Mac users. My existing client base has loved them, purchased them, encouraged their friends to try them too. (you can try them for free at www.mac2school.com)
And so I wondered, how can I reach a wider audience of primed and ready Mac users?
The same afternoon that I posed this question, a friend in CA emailed me, asking if I was still planning to visit in September. And then, suddenly, out of nowhere, came the idea to give a free presentation to my local Mac user’s groups, even offering a discount to their membership for the videos. I looked online to find several groups in AZ and, of course, there is also a group in the CA town where my friend lives.
That evening I emailed proposals to five different user groups, including the one in CA. Three of the groups, including the one in CA, have already put me on their fall calendars.
So how does this magic happen?
Some people will say it’s about energy. Collective consciousness. The power of intention.
You can call it whatever you want. I just know it works.
When we let go of the HOW of things, and ASK for guidance, for insight, for opportunity, and stay OPEN to bigger possibilities than we might imagine, magic happens.
It’s a powerful thing. And it’s effortless.
You just have to be willing to stop trying so hard so you can let go.
