Jun12
Posted on Jun 12 by Ruth Davis
One of the many things I’ve learned these past few years is how important the voice is. When we add sound to our movements, to our thoughts, to our sentences, the energy expands. And yet, so many people are not comfortable making sounds, speaking up, being heard. Listen around you to how quietly some people speak, even and especially when they are talking about something important. Growing up, so many of us were told to Be Quiet. Many of us were told we had bad singing voices, so we should just mouth the words. And we have accepted these statements as truth, settling back into shameful silence. Until today. If we want to be heard, we must be learn to be comfortable using our voice. We must believe that our words, our ideas, our perspectives are valuable and worthy of sharing. And that we have a right to speak up, speak out, even sing out. Several years ago, a client shared that she used to love to sing. But her 3rd grade music teacher told her she was off key...
Jun05
Posted on Jun 5 by Ruth Davis
For those of you who are wondering, I did not get the cute cottage. And I’m OK with it. Like John Steinbeck said, “If it is right, it happens. The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.” And so I am re-focused on what is, what I need to be and do NOW to best support the work I do and the life I live. *** Our lives are so full that most of us feel like we’re always catching up or trying to getting ahead, move forward. Some days, the best thing we can do for ourselves is to pause. To completely stop rushing and doing and striving and simply BE exactly where we are. This shift in rhythm can open us up to opportunities to notice our accomplishments and revel in how far we’ve come. Instead of pushing further, we have a chance to breathe into the present moment and check in with ourselves. What do I REALLY need right now? What do I REALLY want to do? Maybe you need a nap. Maybe you need a...
May29
Posted on May 29 by Ruth Davis
A year ago I had a going away party, even though I no longer had a moving date. I had found and lost a rental property on the central coast, and had no idea what my next step was. I scoured Craigslist every day, several times a day, but looking for a place to live from 600 miles away is nearly impossible. Fast forward to today, where I have been living for the past ten months in my 24 foot RV across the street from the beach, 20 miles north of where I thought I’d be living, in a small beach town I didn’t even know existed. And I am very content here. LIving small helps me focus inward and connect with what really matters. But yesterday, out of nowhere, I looked at Craigslist again and found a most perfect, quirky, cozy cottage for rent in my original dream neighborhood along the back bay. I hadn’t even been thinking I was ready to move into a house. But when you follow the energy, things open and your heart beats really...
May21
Posted on May 21 by Ruth Davis
Last weekend I drove the RV up to the Bay area for a retreat with my Wisdom Council Mastermind. We are seven women solo-preneurs who have been having video meetings online every other week since July, 2012. In addition to supporting each other in our businesses, we offer compassion, inspiration and a place to share our biggest fears. And we have become deep and true friends. To further deepen our connections, we all decided to meet in person, in Emeryville, just outside of San Francisco, where one of the women has her art studio. Instead of dealing with hotels that accept dogs, I decided it would be easier and less stressful to drive the RV up so that Laddy would be comfortable while I was in my meeting. And, even paying $4.00/gal for gas, it would be less expensive than driving my car and staying in a hotel for three nights. It was a long, five hour drive from Cayucos, with a stop for lunch and gas and ripe cherries from a highway fruit stand. When Marika and I...
May08
Posted on May 8 by Ruth Davis
There is a rhythm to sewing Prayer Flags: measure, cut, tear, sew sew sew, measure, cut, tear…repeat…. measure, cut, tear, sew sew sew, measure, cut, tear…pause. This morning I sat outside at my picnic table, the sun warming my neck and a slight breeze fluttering the piles of finished flags. I sewed for an hour, pulling stray threads off the torn lengths of muslin, then folding the edges over to sew the seam so that a string can be pushed through to hang them. It is easy work, meditative, even, as long as the machine stays threaded. Prayer flags are an ancient pre-Buddhist custom used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. According to Wikipedia, “…the flags do not carry prayers to gods, which is a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all… …The prayers of a flag become a permanent part of the universe as the images fade...
May06
Posted on May 6 by Ruth Davis
“When we compare ourselves to others, we will always feel better than or less than our true selves.” That said, it’s also important to surround ourselves with people who challenge us to run faster, think bigger, walk longer. But not because THEY do, but because that is what we want and need for ourselves. With all of the people that I meet, it is no surprise that many are living big and powerful lives. They inspire me, motivate me, and serve as a beacon for how full and rich I want my life to be. But sometimes, I meet someone who seems to be doing everything that I envision for myself. They are clearly doing their heart work. They are financially very successful and they seem to have a beautiful balance of mind, body and spirit. They are leaping and bounding with such joy and authenticity and effortlessness. While I am excited and happy for their successes, I sometimes fall into that place of comparing myself, my progress, my life, with theirs. And it is not a pretty place....
