Our world was shaken up in a good way this past long weekend with the arrival of our new puppy Sadie. How one little bundle of love and joy requires an immediate shift in patterns is quite remarkable. We have had 3 dogs over our 30 year marriage though it’s been 1.5 years since we said good-bye to Tess, our lovely Bouvier. I always missed having a four-legged companion but as the family is grown and we have busy lives, it just didn’t seem like the right time. I would often find myself browsing websites of different non-shedding breeds like Bouviers, Portuguese Water dogs and Schnauzers to see what was available. And of course I would often dream about having one.
We don’t see the world as it is – we see the world as we are! Therefore our perceptions create our reality. This is one of the statements I use when introducing the powerful personality system I work with called the Enneagram. The Enneagram brings ancient wisdom together with modern psychology to reveal 9 patterns of being in the world. Though we all share a bit of each of the 9 types within us, one is deeply part of our personality from womb to tomb.
We have just gone through a deep freeze here in southern Ontario with a low Sunday of -26C. What a time to step outside of my comfort zone and choose to incorporate cold showers into my morning routine!
It all started last March when I was reminded by a wise naturopathic doctor how healthy it is to finish a hot shower with a few minutes in a cold splash! Finishing a shower with a cold blast is also great for rinsing your hair after washing it. I began to do this regularly for quite some time and then somehow dropped the practice.
Happy 2016! Though every moment is a new beginning, there is heightened awareness of this as we enter a New Year. A fresh opportunity to welcome new adventures, new acquaintances, new thoughts and magical moments! I am reminded by this quote that balance is also important and that we will also be letting go of […]
She asked each of us to turn to the chorus members standing around us and tell them how Awesome they were. Well – that was effortless, it came with complete sincerity and lots of energy. Once we calmed down she said, ok, now turn to the chorus members around you and tell them how Awesome you are! Oh my goodness – that was a whole different ball game.
I am sure most of us are aware how much we reside in our heads as we embark on our day. The more I bring a conscious effort to bring my whole self into my awareness for more of my day, I realize how much I live in my head. I am getting good at bringing awareness to what I am feeling about what is happening and then I transfer it all back up to my head to try and figure out what to do with or about it! In the words of one of our Olympians it takes: “Practice, Practice, and more Practice!” After all – that’s how we got to where we are by practicing having our consciousness in our head. I may be making this all sound like effort which is the which is the last thing we need to add into our lives but really – my current experience is revealing that when I settle into my heart – my experience of life seems to be simplified, to become more clear and definitely become more peaceful.
It was the harmony that hooked me, however, there have been innumerable benefits to this wonderful hobby. The friendships, continuous learning of vocal production, stage performance, choreography and travel top the list. AND – there is a huge health benefit to singing as it increases your happy hormones and opens up the throat chakra. I found a wonderful article that I wish to share with you here on the benefits of opening your throat chakra.
I remember being asked once on a leadership course to write down 5 people in my life who have been positive influences and explain why. This was a great exercise as I could acknowledge the values and skills that I admired in them and wanted to expand into my life. As time has passed, some of these mentors have stayed in my life, some have fulfilled their influence and I have added new ones. It is said that all leaders seek out mentors in their lives. They become part of the foundation of our character and bring out more of our true light! We all play this role to someone whether we know it or not.
What is your Primary Love language? There are few questions that you can ask yourself to assist in this discovery.
1. What does your spouse do or fail to do that hurts you most deeply? The opposite of what hurts you most is probably your love language.
2. What have you most often requested or your spouse? The thing you have most often requested is likely the thing that would make you feel most loved.
I have noticed a theme lately in working with clients and chatting with friends. The discussions have reflected on how other people’s energy, actions and words affect our current state of happiness. This is not new or unusual; however, we keep running into it at different levels.
