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Harmony
Retreats in the News •
A Wise Woman’s Tool Box
• Roots & Wings
• Natural Awakenings
• What Does Your Image Say About You
BLENDING
WORK, HOME, AND COMMUNITY
A Wise Woman’s Tool Kit - Blending work, home, and community is
supremely complex and yet unbelievably simple.
You can achieve it when you contract to be the “Co-creator” of your
life. Step into your life, plant both feet in positive rich soil, each
day seeking and expecting an adventure. We come to this planet knowing
all that we need to know . . . . . it’s just a matter of awakening and
tapping into your private pool of knowledge. Unlock the flood gates,
unleash your wellspring of wisdom. Chart your own course allowing it to
fit the landscape of your life journey. You no longer have to live on
autopilot; live consciously. Bare witness to each breath a gift, each
heartbeat a jewel.
I see blending work, home, and community being fundamentally about
relationships as indeed all life is. How do you relate to your
colleagues, your family, your community?
If you want to make just one change that will allow the blending of the
facets of your life to be a success . . . . .put the interest of those
in your work place, home and community on equal footing with your own.
Yes, pretty simple, huh. Go back to the old adage, “treat others, [view
others, do for others] as you would have them treat you.”
Blending our personal and professional lives is about re-connecting to
the balance that lies within. It hinges on effectively balancing all the
segments of your life. It is dependent on your developing and sustaining
new productive habits. Work to put in a positive place all that has
touched your life in the past, today, and the future. Commit not to
judge yourself nor others; it serves no useful purpose. Be quick to
forgive yourself and others for past mis-takes. Anger, resentment,
jealousy, self-doubt and harboring old grudges takes up time and energy
that is better spent in positive self empowerment. To effectively make
this transition, it is imperative that we leave our egos, and all
illusions of self-importance behind bringing with us only our
human-ness, our woman-ness, our divine-ness.
We change our behaviors when we experience the discomfort of our desires
being
thwarted. We seldom change without discomfort. In order to weave the
pieces of our life’s quilt, we will need a shift in our thinking.
Refocus the lens through which you view yourself and your world of work,
home, and community. Know that the blending we seek is not an end
result, it is a process, a daily process. Today, we will explore some of
the tools necessary to live this daily process with joy. Always,
remembering that you know yourself better than anyone. Take from these
tools only what resonates with your spirit this day. You may leave the
rest for another day.
Tool # 1 - Self Examination -
Do you believe that you can successfully blend the many facets of
your life? If you do not believe it then it will not be so. Have you
bought into the myth that a successful, upward mobile female executive
can not be all things to all people. Well, you’re probably right.
However, you can be a successful leader, wife, mother, community
activist. Your thoughts will fuel the shift that you desire. Seek
clarity, examine where your beliefs may be misaligned with your desire
to weave the gems of your life into a pristine mosaic. It is here with
tool # 1 that you step into the rich soil of willingness and desire.
Tool # 2 - Self Acceptance -
Do you choose to grow? Do you choose to change? Do you choose to
grasp your authentic power? Answer with total honesty. If your answer is
no, then perhaps the time is not right for you but, if the answer is
yes, ..... start the journey. Now is the time to view yourself
holistically, to see work as one facet of your life not your whole
existence; otherwise, you’re living one dimensionally. Take the time to
recognize and acknowledge what needs to change. Accept and surrender to
that change with your eyes wide open, fully awake and aware. Strive for
balance . . . . . business and pleasure, work and play,
career and family, professional and personal life. Trust yourself, care
for yourself, respect yourself, acknowledge yourself and be responsible
for yourself. It is here with tool # 2 that you stand in the rich soil
of awareness and acceptance.
Tool # 3 - Empowered Heart -
We’ve established that you believe blending the many facets of your
life is possible, practical, and achievable. The desire for balance
brings you into harmony with your family, your business colleagues, your
environment and your community. You’ve committed to live life
consciously, in harmony with natural law and universal principals;
you’ve committed to action. The transformation will require long term,
diligent, consistent practice. Remember, you are unique. Explore the
different mirrors and methods to facilitate your growth. Move into tool
# 3 standing in the rich soil of action.
- Bring Head, Heart and Hands
into alignment
- Know your purpose. Live your
purpose
- Seek the truth. Speak the
truth. Live in truth
- Speak with a conscious tongue
while living a conscious life
- Do all things in peace,
balance & harmony
- Know what works for you and
work it
- Honor your body temple Give
love and live in gratitude
- Forgive yourself and others
- Create a super support system
- Seek the good in all creation
and honor all its possibilities
Relinquish the need to be right
When you commit to evolving it takes time. Don’t rush the process, enjoy
it. Be gentle with yourself and those around you. Know that you did not
become the wonderful woman that you are today overnight and you will not
become an even greater woman after reading a book, attending a
conference or asking yourself some questions and perhaps getting some
pretty good answers. It is a journey and it takes time. Give yourself
the gift of time.
Catapult to a position of authentic power . . . . . the power of a
balanced life lived in harmony with family, friends, colleagues, the
environment and your community. It is possible to successfully blend
work, home and community; in fact, it is imperative that we do so. This
balancing act, bringing our lives into harmony requires positive energy,
seriousness of purpose, patience, clarity, power and compassion. It will
be a challenge, an opportunity, a basket brimming with possibilities but
ultimately it will serve to bring
you pure joy. We are not one dimensional beings; we do not live one
dimensional lives.
Take up the challenge, embrace the opportunity, enjoy the process, walk
with dignity, grace and panache. Begin to live out loud; you will be
pleased that you did.
“Be like the earth. When the rain comes, the earth only has to open
herself up to the rain. . . . . . A teacher cannot give you the truth.
The truth is already in you. You only need to open yourself ------ body,
mind, and heart ----- so that his or her teachings will penetrate your
own seeds of understanding and enlightenment. If you let the words enter
you, the soil and the seeds will do the rest of the work.”
-----Thich Nhat Hahn
Roots & Wings [To build a
strong foundation & fly]
The Eight Essentials - Positive, Practical, Powerful
1. Beliefs - What does success look like to you? Does your view
of success align with your desire to blend work, home and community?
Clarify your life’s vision and
author or review your short term mission statement. Know your purpose.
Open
to the miracle that is you. As you develop you begin to choreograph the
energies
of the universe in new and wondrous ways.
“People ignorant of their purpose are like ships adrift in a hostile
sea.”
----- Malidoma Patrice Some!
2. Inquiry - Take inventory of the things that are going well in
your life. Identify one
thing that you would like to change and three ways that you will go
about changing
it. List three things that you like about yourself. Name the one thing
that you need
the most from others in the office, at home and in the community.
Make time on a regular basis to find a quiet space and take a self
inventory.
Consider it your mental and emotional bubble bath.
“You create your thoughts, your thoughts create your intentions, your
intentions
create your reality.”
----- Malidoma Patrice Some!
3. Time Management - Look at how you are spending your time
paying special
attention to your morning and evening routines. If you find severe
imbalance make
an effort to correct it. We all lead busy lives yet we can choose how we
spend our
time. Be creative and pro-active with your time. Set boundaries and
priorities,
with healthy care of yourself as number one. Each morning and/or evening
make
time to acknowledge and love your eyes, ears, mouth, hands, legs,
thighs, feet,
heart, all your inner organs, muscles, bones, hair, nails, teeth every
part of your
hard working body that has carried you through the day and the night.
This
practice through the universal law of reciprocity will ensure that there
is enough
time in each day for you to do all that you are meant to do.
“Self-realization means that we
have been consciously connected with our source of being. Once we have
made this connection, then nothing can go wrong . . . . .”
----- Swami Paranananda
4. Pamper - Be conscious of
what you put in your body to ensure that you get what
you want out of your body. Pay close attention to your diet, drinking
plenty of
water and eating lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods. A
must, exercise
daily. From time to time, you deserve to treat yourself to whatever
brings you joy.
Think back to your child hood, what put a smile on your face. Or,
sometimes just
a scented bubble bath surrounded by the soft light of candles with a
glass of wine
or sparkling cider will make you feel special and joyous.
“We need to stop equating
self-love with self-centeredness and selfishness.” “Reach out to others
from a place of fulfillment and not a place of lack.”
----- bell hooks
5. Language - Monitor your
language including the things that you say to and about yourself.
Identify all the negatives and remove these phrases from your
vocabulary and as much as possible from your thoughts. Replace these
phrases
with positive affirmations. Language is a manifestation of your power;
choose your
words wisely and carefully. Be aware of what you say, who you say it to
and why
you say it. The words we hear that permeate the air as energy,
illuminate a pattern
on our minds, penetrating our consciousness. Be mindful of how you speak
to your
loved ones, friends, colleagues and neighbors for, it all has an impact
on you.
Words are the ambassadors of our thoughts and feelings our minds and
hearts;
choose them wisely.
“Your words act as a bridge
between your inner world (thoughts) and the outer world (actions). The
words that leave our mouths have energy and vibrations. We put that
energy out into the universe and the sacred space around us.”
6. Support - Give yourself
positive constructive feedback and develop a network of friends who will
do the same. Seek those who will walk with you in truth and
trust. Be careful not to become a “taker”. Be sure to give back and
offer support
when needed, forming symbiotic relationships. Perhaps one of the best
forms of self support is Journaling, allowing a safe and powerful outlet
for your thoughts. A place of non judgement, forgiveness, appreciation
and joy.
“What you see in others, you
strengthen in yourself. What you hold against others, you hold against
yourself.”
----- Foundation For Inner
Peace
7. Fun - Make time to have
fun with friends and family. Schedule relaxation into
each day and a fun activity into each week. In order to give your best,
take a
holiday each year even if it’s to enjoy the majesty and beauty of your
home country
or state. Time away from our daily routine is an elixir for our minds,
bodies and
spirits. We return refreshed, renewed, and rejuvenated.
“Change the way you look at
things and the things you look at will change.”
----- Dr. Wayne Dyer
8. Meditate, Meditate, Meditate
- Meditation is an ancient practice, a disciplined
exercise which must be a free process, relaxed and a fully conscious
effort or
experience allowing inward focus. Meditation allows you to be still,
listen and
know the counsel of your Spirit. It is a time to be purposefully quiet
allowing our
God/Goddess self to speak through our Spirit Soul to our minds and
bodies.
Meditation also has practical uses, according to some physicians it
reduces
emotional stress, alleviates chronic pain, lowers blood pressure and
heart rate, and reduces the risk of heart dis-ease. It can slow down
internal mental chatter, and allow more focused thinking leading to
better and more effective decision making. Make a firm commitment to set
aside dedicated time to meditate.
“Meditation is the practice of
looking deeply into the nature of your suffering and
your joy.”
----- Thich Nhat Hahn
As you begin to make changes,
adopt new behaviors, and take the risks that will facilitate blending
work, home and community, you will impact all facets of your life and
you will effect everyone around you. Be prepared for their reactions and
yours. Then sit back and enjoy the triumphant masterpiece that is you.
The Natural
Awakenings Article .... coming soon
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By COLETTE LUNDY
We are all good at something. You may be a Professional with a thriving
career, an entrepreneur with a growing business, on the threshold of
returning to the world of
work, or a young graduate fresh from the halls of university.
Whoever you are you will have dedicated time and effort to becoming good
at something. It stands to reason that with your busy schedule, you may
have overlooked one aspect of your self-promotion, the way you present
yourself to others: your total image. In today's competitive and
unpredictable job market, it is simply not enough to be good at
something, people have to be confident that you have this ability. How
do we skillfully convey these messages to others?
A First Impressions Group, a personal image consulting team, assists
clients to enhance, empower and enrich their lives. Their revolutionary
approach to a beauty
and impeccable grooming in all it's many o facets is fast becoming the
norm.
The choices you make about your appearance, your posture, body language,
voice, speech, surroundings and even the el stationary you choose,
convey powerful messages to others. Are you sending the m right
message?
Let's examine how to make these signals work for you! First, you must
commit to developing yourself, making a change, taking or the first
step, testing the re waters. It's not about being someone else, or
behaving and representing yourself in ways that do not feel as
comfortable. Your total image will only succeed when it is a
true reflection of you.
You might begin by asking yourself the right questions about how you
present yourself. Your total image is not on about rights and wrongs: no
one can objectively announce that there is only one correct way to
present "you”.
To this end, your total image starts with how
you perceive yourself and then how
others perceive you. Some people project themselves better than others,
some
people readily inspire confidence and trust when you meet them, while
others make you feel uncomfortable and ill-at-ease.
You can improve the image you project only if you know who you are. If
you haven't taken the time to assess your strengths and weaknesses then
you cannot possibly decide on areas of improvement.
You may need to do some serious self-examination. Present yourself as
a
successful person and others will respond to you accordingly. If you
aspire to the position two rungs up on the ladder of success, dress the
part. It is true that many
of us are afraid to aim high; no one becomes successful without learning
how to
deal with failure. It is often easier to remain as we are rather than
accepting the challenge to change.
Improving your total image is about accepting the challenge. It may be
necessary to seek feedback from a professional, friend or someone you
trust. Giving and
receiving feedback can sometimes be difficult; there's no good to be
served by criticizing some aspect of a person that cannot be changed.
For instance,
saying to someone who is short "what a shame you're not a lot
taller." There is however, a point in suggesting that 'tonal
dressing' wearing one color will give the illusion of height rather than
wearing blocks of different colors which will appear to shorten the
body.
To present yourself well, you must appreciate your good points and
understand your weaknesses.
When we are confident about our good points we can maximize them; when
we are aware of our weaknesses we can minimize them. Great style is the
ability to identify your strongest features and choose your wardrobe,
hair and makeup for maximum enhancement.
For instance, you may be overweight and embarrassed by it but the
overweight person who accepts his/her physique and strives to be fit and
healthy, who dresses attractively, loves communicating with others and
makes them respond will present an attractive total image. The goal is
to feel and look good, not small.
Your self-image is subject to all sorts of influences, family, friends,
experiences, environment. If your self-esteem is low, then improving
your outer image will be just so much window dressing. Working on
personal issues, and we all have them; is key to enhancing your total
image. The mind and body are very closely connected and interdependent.
Having a good body image is an important part of self-esteem, however,
this is not the same as having a good body, a good body image is all to
do with a balanced integration between mind and body.
Are you what we see? Grooming and clothes are the packaging of your
total image. Just as a savvy manufacturer pays close attention to the
packaging of a product to persuade us to purchase it, we must be aware
of our packaging if we want to be appealing to others. To the critical
eye, your clothing and grooming choices say a great deal about who you
are.
They indicate how you see yourself and express your personality. With
demanding
jobs and families, you have little time to spend on the details of
appearance.
However, appreciating the importance of the subject and learning how to
make your appearance work for you is a necessary and powerful tool. You
don't need to
spend a lot of time on your appearance to look good, but you must give
some
thought and consideration to what suits you. Society assumes that
someone who
cares for him/herself is more inclined to be a responsible person.
Like most facets of life, good grooming depends upon establishing
effective habits. This means good grooming must be an everyday thing;
you must find a comfortable routine and stick with it. Hair, skin,
nails, teeth and clothing all need your daily attention. You have one
chance to making a good first impression.
Philippa Davies in her book, Personal Power says, "When you first
meet another person, you form a strong impression of them within the
first few moments and a
lasting opinion of them during the first thirty seconds to four minutes
of meeting.
First impressions are powerful and permanent." Why not invest in
your- self?
To learn more about enhancing your personal image. First Impressions
Group are hosting "All About You" a workshop that will address
all of these issues and much
more on Saturday, October 30, 1999 at the Sonesta Beach Hotel. Their
personal image consultants and personal shoppers will be available to
assist you.
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