Posts Tagged ‘intention’
January 21st, 2012 | 6 Comments »
I can’t believe today’s post represents the end of Reverb11. The Reverb11 journey has been truly incredible. I hope to spend some time next week reflecting on this experience and share these reflections with you.
Below are my responses to the last two prompts. I used these prompts as a way to pull together some of the major themes from my responses thus far. It was a great way for me to take a step back and see the big take home messages.
Even if you didn’t participate in Reverb11, or maybe started but didn’t finish, I highly recommend exploring these two prompts as a separate exercise.
30. No. What will you say no to in 2012?
31. Yes. What will you say yes to in 2012 that you didn’t say yes to in 2011?
I approached these prompts as one.
NO < YES [the goal: less NO, more YES]
Less No, More Yes
No: Self-defeating language (e.g., I’m not good enough.)
Yes: Compassionate language (e.g., I am good enough.)
No: Should
Yes: Want
No: Comparison and Jealousy
Yes: Connection, Collaboration, and Inspiration
No: Defeat
Yes: Change
No: Quantity
Yes: Quality
No: Restless nights
Yes: Embracing rest and stillness
No: Judgment
Yes: Compassion
No: Avoiding fear
Yes: Minimizing fear through action
No: Clutter
Yes: Space
No: Drain
Yes: Nourish
No: Hibernation
Yes: Exploration
No: Worry
Yes: Curiosity
No: Reactive
Yes: Proactive
No: Playing it safe
Yes: Leaping and Playing BIG
+++
image: stacey bradley (etsy: perle anne)
p.s. have you entered the shabby apple dress giveaway? love hearing the places you plan to wear the dress!
+++
What would you like to say less NO and more YES to in 2012?
Tags: #reverb11, affirmation, intention, manifest, reflect, reverb
Posted in: #reverb11, Authenticity, Personal, Series
January 19th, 2012 | 1 Comment »
This post is part of Reverb11. Through January 15th 22nd, I will be sharing my responses to the remainder of the prompts. My Reverb11 responses are a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting!
29. Questions.
What questions did you ask in 2011? (Author: Kaileen Elise)
I love questions—especially new questions. New questions always make me curious! I don’t love the questions that seem to constantly arise—the questions that demand investigation, change, and typically difficult to realize answers. These are the questions we run through our minds over and over again. These are the questions that are easier for us to ignore and push deep into our subconscious. In 2011, I focused a lot of my mental energy on these questions; the answers are slow to appear so great trust and faith in the process is necessary to believe that they will become visible at the right time. Below are a few questions from 2011, copied directly from the pages of my journal (note: I refer to myself as both I and you in the questions!).
—Should I give up on *this* dream?
—What do I need in this moment?
—What can I release from my life?
—Why are you doing *this* and not *that*?
—What am I avoiding? How can I reframe what I’m avoiding into something less cringe worthy?
—Given the current circumstances (which you can’t change), how do you choose to react?
—What mini-action can I take right now to move toward my desired goal?
—What are your options? What do you *want* to do? [this question is especially helpful when you feel lazy. write down all the possible items that you *want* to do and 9/10 times you'll be bored by the items after writing them down. it helps me get my groove back!]
—How can you bring a sense of security and ease to this situation (and similar situations in the future)?
—How can you actively use this lesson moving forward?
—How can I best protect my self-worth in this situation? (hint: magic ingredient=self-compassion)
—Are you being proactive or reactive?
—What evidence do I need to provide for myself to feel fulfilled?
What questions did you ask in 2011? What questions would you like to ask more in 2012? Any questions you would like to ask someone else?
photograph: maya lee
Tags: #reverb11, intention, Journal, kaileen elise, letters to a young poet, manifest, prompts, Questions, reflect, reverb, Vulnerable
Posted in: #reverb11, Authenticity, Personal
December 30th, 2011 | 5 Comments »
As we embark on a new year, we have the opportunity to approach this transition with intention.
Imagine for a moment that you can create a bridge for yourself between 2011 and 2012. What does that bridge look like? What does the experience of crossing that bridge feel like? What do you hope to leave behind in 2011? What do you hope to take with you into 2012?
You are able to create a clearing as you cross this bridge—space within 2012 for growth and new beginnings.
Remember that this is your story to tell. What is the ending that you want to write? And how does the next chapter begin?
As you close this chapter, be gentle with yourself. Use self-compassion. Reflect with kindness. Allow yourself to be at ease, to start where you are. Let this transition reflect the way you would like to treat yourself in 2012.
. . .
As I exit 2011, I am saying thank you—to each of you that has been a part of A Beautiful Ripple Effect. To those of you that have read a single post, submitted a single comment, tweeted about a post, pinned an image from a post, emailed a friend or loved one to share what you’ve read here, emailed me about a post, or for spending any other moment on this journey with me in 2011, you have given me a tremendous gift. Your time is precious and I want you to know how much I value the time you take to help me create a beautiful ripple effect of inspiration. As I enter 2012, I will hold this feeling of gratitude close to my heart.
. . .
Wishing you a beautiful journey as you exit 2011 and enter 2012 .
Love,
Carolyn
Tags: 2011, 2012, beginning, conscious entry, ending, Havi Brooks, intention, Kindness, New Year, self-compassion, the fluent self, Transition
Posted in: Authenticity, Balance & Simplicity, Personal, Tips + Techniques
December 28th, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Note for new readers: Throughout December, I will be posting my personal responses to Reverb11. My posts will be a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting! However, you can expect some “special” posts during the month as well. If you’re interested in reading more typical content, check out a few of the most popular posts. Regardless of what you’re reading (or not reading), welcome and happy December!
19. Joy. What does a joyful life look like for you?
A Joyful Life
… is composed of joyful moments.
… is being mindful of joyful moments.
… is now, not tomorrow—it’s a state of being not based on circumstances.
… is grabbing the moment, and not letting it go.
… is feeling giddy about what you’re doing or who you’re with.
… is working smarter, not harder.
… is accepting what is and letting go of what is not.
… is filled with imperfections and mistakes.
… is jagged and rarely smooth, made of turns and leaps—dreams realized and dreams abandoned.
… is undefinable, constantly evolving.
… is available to all who embrace it, all who feel worthy of embracing it. moments of joy enable you to get through life’s darkest moments, especially when you feel joy is the last emotion you should be feeling. it’s during the difficult moments that you need to dig deep and embrace little kernels of joy.
moments of joy. flashes of delight. that is what we live for, that is a joyful life.
What, in this moment, brings you joy?
image: ritzy bee
Tags: #reverb11, 2011, goal, intention, Joy, manifest, reflect, reverb
Posted in: #reverb11, Balance & Simplicity, Personal
December 26th, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Note for new readers: Throughout December, I will be posting my personal responses to Reverb11. My posts will be a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting! However, you can expect some “special” posts during the month as well. If you’re interested in reading more typical content, check out a few of the most popular posts. Regardless of what you’re reading (or not reading), welcome and happy December!
Today, I’m sharing my responses to four of the Reverb11 prompts (prompts 14 – 17).
14. Marvel. What have you done well over the past year—the little stuff and the big stuff? How do you celebrate the positives?
- I had my wisdom teeth removed (something I’ve been afraid to do for awhile).
- I completed a semester of difficult coursework.
- I ran 21 participants in my research study (all in about one month!). I analyzed the data and presented my research on three separate occasions. I completed my research thesis.
- I completed a year long clinical practicum.
- I persevered through some really difficult situations and have become truly resilient.
- I wrote regularly on A Beautiful Ripple Effect.
- I participated in Blogshop and am practicing my new Photoshop techniques.
- I created a bucket list!
Celebrate the Positives
Over the past year, I’ve been trying to recognize and celebrate more of the positives. It’s easier to do this when we’re younger because a lot of the positives are celebrated by others—ribbons, awards, recitals, graduations, and so on. As we get “older,” it can feel a bit obnoxious to celebrate oneself. But it’s pretty easy to berate oneself, especially to others. Without practice, one can forget to celebrate the positives and simply focus on the negatives. Consider it part of your self-care routine to regularly check-in with yourself and find little ways to recognize what you’ve done well (even if that means simply writing down one thing you done well at the end of each day). Below is a few ways I’ve celebrated the positives over the past year.
- Daily Gratitude Journal: I began writing down one thing that went well during my day each evening. This new ritual enabled my mind to shift to a more positive focus before retreating to bed. Sometimes, I simply wrote that I opened my gratitude journal (yes, it’s really that simple and has a profound effect).
- After my wisdom teeth were removed, I downloaded a few favorite movies to watch while I recovered and really relished this time to myself to enjoy some much needed me time. It was my little celebration.
- After completing a very difficult semester, I celebrated by attending two of my closest friends’ weddings. I loved looking forward to these events during the long days and even longer evenings!
- My husband helped me celebrate receiving my master’s degree by wrapping up my diploma as a surprise present :).
- Celebrated a year of perseverance and triumph with my husband for our 1 year wedding anniversary.
15. Fear. The easiest way to overcome fear is to confront it. Rather than brainstorm ways to avoid your “fear,” shift your attention to the reasons for confronting your fear. What fear would you like to overcome in 2012?
Fear of the unknown. I would like to cultivate an attitude of curiosity rather than worry when it comes to dealing with the unknown.
16. Transitions. Over the past year, have you experienced any major/minor life transitions? How has your life changed?
YES. A major part of my life has changed over the past year. It’s something I’m still trying to figure out in my own way, in private. My life is changing a lot, and I look forward to the moment in time when this change is not so raw and tender. At that time, I’ll begin to share this transition in my life—what happened, what I’ve learned, what I’m learning (and need to learn), and how I move forward and see this transition as something that has only helped shape me into the person I will become. I’m slowly getting to this place (note: slowly), but when I arrive (which I can’t wait to occur), I know that I will have a treasury of new knowledge to help others dealing with difficult transitions in a truly profound way. That is what I know. And that is what fuels me to get through the difficult days, to see the glimmer of light that is beginning to appear.
17. Bliss. What are three things that make you feel the most blissed out? What can do in 2012 to invite more of that into your life?
Yoga | Writing | Creating
I need to prioritize these three activities—to recognize how important they are for me and to respect that truth. I am worthy of bliss, worthy of time dedicated solely to bliss.
image: once wed
Tags: #reverb11, Bliss, celebrate, fear, Goals, intention, journaling, marvel, Reflection, reverb, Self-Care, self-compassion, transitions
Posted in: #reverb11, Authenticity, Personal, Random, When You Feel
December 20th, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Note for new readers: Throughout December, I will be posting my personal responses to Reverb11. My posts will be a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting! However, you can expect some “special” posts during the month as well. If you’re interested in reading more typical content, check out a few of the most popular posts. Regardless of what you’re reading (or not reading), welcome and happy December!
Today, I’m sharing my responses to four of the Reverb11 prompts. I’m feeling festive (and ready for some yummy holiday sweets) so I’m thinking of this post as a scrumptious 4 layer reverb cake.
9. Superpower. If you were a superhero, what would your power be?
I can’t pick just one power! So I, as the superhero, choose to have the power to change my superpower as needed/wanted. Now, that sounds like fun!
10. Soul Food. How do you nourish your soul? What activities are essential nutrients for your soul’s well-being?
journaling. yoga. reading. playing with lila rose. quiet time. lighting a calming candle. connecting with loved ones. blogging. self-compassion. planting gifts for my future self. mindful giving and receiving. writing thank-you notes and just because notes. getting a manicure. creative + imperfect projects. creating structures and systems and plans. organizing. gratitude practice. dreaming and believing and trusting.
11. Anticipation. What is the one thing that you are most looking forward to in 2012?
My sister’s wedding!!
12. Mistakes. It’s easy to focus on our mistakes—to reflect with 20/20 hindsight and berate ourselves for what went wrong. Bring your awareness to a mistake you’ve made over the past year. Unveil one positive lesson from that mistake. How can you actively use this lesson moving forward?
I allowed myself to take on the victim mentality this past year. This mentality was new for me and introduced a new emotion: anger. I held tightly to this identity as victim and this emotion of anger. I felt that anger was my way of gaining control. But I’ve learned that anger is toxic. I began to treat myself poorly, truly believing that I didn’t deserve to be treated better. This was a huge mistake, but one that I needed to make.
Positive Lesson: I can’t control how others treat me or how others value me, but I can control how I treat and value myself as a person. (this distinction is huge!)
Moving Forward: I will try to notice when I begin to feel that I am placing more value on what other people think about me than what I think about me. After noticing, I will gently redirect my focus to protecting my self-worth (magic ingredient: self-compassion).
image: alissa olivares via pinterest
Tags: #reverb11, Goals, intention, Journal, manifest, reflect, resolutions, reverb
Posted in: #reverb11, Random, Treasure Chest, When You Feel
December 12th, 2011 | 7 Comments »
Note for new readers: Throughout December, I will be posting my personal responses to Reverb11. My posts will be a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting! However, you can expect some “special” posts during the month as well. If you’re interested in reading more typical content, check out a few of the most popular posts. Regardless of what you’re reading (or not reading), welcome and happy December!
7. Giving. “The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The meaning of life is to give your gift away.” (David Viscott) What is your gift to give?
About a week ago, I read a post by Jessica Nichols on her blog, Sweet Eventide, entitled: Jessica takes a Sabbatical. Jessica’s words resonated strongly with me, but there was one line in particular that I related to the most. Sharing these words and this feeling is not something I feel comfortable doing, but am willing to do so anyway since I think it’s a sentiment rarely acknowledged aloud.
I give and I give and I give.
And as Jessica acknowledges in her post, giving unconditionally leaves you completely drained. Because when you give so freely, people forget to ask and just take and take and take. You lose your equilibrium and suddenly you’re no longer in control of your gift.
My “gift” is very difficult to define since it has no tangible presence. I didn’t even begin to discover my gift until after graduating from college. Prior to this discovery period, I gave my gift away without even realizing. I was not mindful of what I was giving at the time.
I won’t claim to know that I’ve got my “gift” fully figured out, even after years of discovery; however, I am consciously recognizing more and more of what I have to give to others.
My gift: intellectual curiosity aimed at solving the puzzles of ordinary and extraordinary suffering coupled with a fierce determination to alleviate suffering in the lives of people that cross my path. While I may be book smart, I have learned that my intuition is far more valuable than any knowledge learned from a book. This intuition is my strongest gift and the variable that enables me to solve problems and alleviate suffering.
In the past, I’ve tried to force myself to value knowledge (i.e., lessons from books or the words of “experts”) over intuition. And I did a good job at letting knowledge dictate my direction rather than intuition—most of the time. However, when my intuition did win over knowledge, I created miraculous gifts like a non-profit organization that awarded over 100 college scholarships or a book that celebrates turning fear into hope at the most difficult of times. And those are just the tangible products, it’s really the intangible products, the experiences and moments that are the priceless byproducts of following my intuition.
Trusting my intuition isn’t easy and often challenges the status quo. However, I realize that if this intuition were nourished rather than belittled, I would be able to give far more than I could imagine and create even greater change in the lives of others. I am beginning to understand that not protecting my gift would be selfish.
…
These words feel raw and unfinished. I’ve written the above sentences at least three different times—each time trying to find clarity between the lines. However, these words and feelings are unfinished in real time. I’m still within the cocoon of discovery.
image: sweet eventide (support jessica’s gift by purchasing an item from her etsy store)
Tags: #reverb11, Authenticity, discover, imperfection, intention, Jessica Nichols, perfectionism, Reflection, reverb, Sweet Eventide
Posted in: #reverb11, Authenticity, Personal
December 9th, 2011 | 1 Comment »
Note for new readers: Throughout December, I will be posting my personal responses to Reverb11. My posts will be a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting! However, you can expect some “special” posts during the month as well. If you’re interested in reading more typical content, check out a few of the most popular posts. Regardless of what you’re reading (or not reading), welcome and happy December!
6. Ease. What can you do to add ease to 2012?
First, to shift myself into the “ease” mentality, I turned to dictionary.com for some ways to think of “ease.” Below are a few of the definitions I found.
1. to free from anxiety or care
2. to mitigate, lighten, or lessen
3. to release from pressure, tension, or the like
4. to move or shift with great care
5. to render less difficult; facilitate
Feeling more tranquil after just reading the above descriptions, I realized how important it is for me to really prioritize ease this coming year.
Next, I opened my journal to a blank page and wrote the word ease along the top. On this page, my goal was to release any automatic and unfiltered thoughts associated with ease. Essentially, this is a brain dump of everything and anything that floats into the mind related to thoughts of ease.
Then, I looked at particular ways I could add ease in the coming year. To focus on particular ways, I asked myself a few questions.
What feels difficult?
What would make this feel less difficult?
What do I enjoy doing?
How could I make it easier to do more of what I enjoy doing?
In order to add ease to 2012, I need to check in with myself on a regular basis. By doing regular check-ins, I could practice making tiny changes (less daunting, more doable) and see what works and what doesn’t work to make the difficult stuff less difficult and the good stuff more enjoyable.
I will begin this practice by:
1. Scheduling a few minutes at the end of each week to focus on the topic of ease.
2. Using the questions above as journal prompts for this weekly exercise and revising the questions as needed.
3. Ending this weekly exercise with a focused action that I can use to add more ease to the upcoming week.
What can you do to add ease to 2012?
image: iro ivy
… have you entered the desire to inspire sparkling giveaway (ends sunday!)
Tags: #reverb11, Ease, goal, intention, manifest, reflect, reverb, Simplify
Posted in: #reverb11, Authenticity, Balance & Simplicity, Overwhelmed, Personal, When You Feel
December 8th, 2011 | No Comments »
Note for new readers: Throughout December, I will be posting my personal responses to Reverb11. My posts will be a bit different than usual—more vulnerable, less polished, more frequent, and probably more interesting! However, you can expect some “special” posts during the month as well. If you’re interested in reading more typical content, check out a few of the most popular posts. Regardless of what you’re reading (or not reading), welcome and happy December!
5. Reading. What has been your favorite book (or books if you can’t pick just one) that you’ve read this year?
My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter. -Thomas Helm
I read all the time, usually more than one book at a time. Within the pages of my favorite books, you would see scribbled notes along the margins and earmarked sections indicating favorite passages. My books become similar to journals for me. I have a different relationship with books that I can hold in my hands as opposed to books I read digitally. Finding a new book that few people know about is my favorite experience. I love sharing my latest favorites and exchanging must reads with others. And a random tidbit, I haven’t read any of the Harry Potter books or the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books. There’s no particular reason why I haven’t read these series, I’ve just never felt drawn to them.
I’ve read so many wonderful books in 2011 that I can’t pick a single favorite. Instead, I’ve managed to sort through my favorites within a few categories. I would love to know what book(s) you’ve read and loved. I’m very much in need of some new books for traveling over the holidays!
2011 READING
Five Most Recent Books that I’ve read (and enjoyed)
Accidental Bestseller (Wendy Wax), Dressmaker of Khair Khana (Gayle Tzemach Lemmon), The Litigators (John Grisham), Steve Jobs (Walter Isaacson), The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club (Gil Mcneil)
Two Books I Read Again in 2011
7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Stephen Covey) and Happier (Tal Ben-Shahar)
Top Two Nonfiction Books
29 Gifts (Cami Walker) and Sabbath (Wayne Muller)
Top Two Fiction Books
The Woodcutter (Reginald Hill) and Cutting for Stone (Abraham Verghese)
*These links are amazon affiliate links. If you decide to purchase one of the books using the links above, I receive a tiny percentage that goes towards fueling my book obsession :).
image: lively photography
… have you entered the desire to inspire sparkling giveaway (ends sunday!)
Tags: #reverb11, books, intention, literature, manifest, Reading, reverb
Posted in: #reverb11, Authenticity, Creativity & Inspiration, Personal, Random, When You Feel
December 3rd, 2011 | 5 Comments »
Throughout December, I will be sharing my personal responses to the prompts of Reverb11. Below is my response from the second prompt.
2. Writing. What piece of writing are you most proud of from 2011? How does this piece differ from your other pieces?
The only important thing in a book is the meaning it has for you. -W. Somerset Maugham
My research thesis. And this response surprises me because I am most proud of the process that this piece represents rather than merely the final product. I understand and give compassion to the imperfections within this piece. As someone constantly battling perfectionism, this attitude is a feat for me and one that is very worthy of my pride.
What piece of writing are you most proud of from 2011?
image: kate spade’s “things we love” book via felt and wire
Tags: #reverb11, intention, reverb, Writing
Posted in: #reverb11, Authenticity, Personal
