Monthly Archives: January 2014

Moving Forward

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Finally I could stand up and walk around today and feel more normal again. Thank God! I still took it easy, but I am moving on. Phew. I’m ready to be done being sick, but I’m not out of the woods yet. I’m still concerned about my chest congestion and plan to rest and relax again tomorrow. We took a walk around the block tonight to get some fresh air and it tired me out. Isn’t it crazy how we don’t think about our health that much until something goes wrong?

Being sick really makes you present. You’re fully aware of what you’re doing and feeling and experiencing. That’s kinda weird too.

Once I started coming out of my cocoon and my voice became a bit stronger, I started back at work: facilitating, guiding, coaching, cleaning, planning, loving, and delegating, mostly from the couch. I think my family might prefer when I’m on “vacation”. I realize that’s what I do. I think I’m kinda like a metronome, setting the pace for our family and moving us forward as a team. Do you feel like a metronome too? Just what you always aspired to be, right? A mama metronome. Ha!

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Darkness through the trees on our night walk.

Three Gifts

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I am still sick but the good news is I was able to lift my head up today. I don’t think I’ve ever been this sick in my life. I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel I think. My appetite came back a bit and I didn’t mind the sunshine coming in. I was able to focus a bit longer and actually could read my book.

I am reading Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine. I love this guy! And I love that I found him via Stella & Dot. He was the guest speaker this week at the Director’s Conference. Jessica Herrin, the CEO and founder of Stella & Dot, is a very positive, authentic, and influential woman. It’s fitting that she chose Shirzad to present to the leaders of the company and that they shared the video presentation with all Stylists.

The way we think creates our happiness and success. This is a premise I’ve carried all my life and keep practicing daily. This book teaches you how to increase your positive intelligence to achieve greater potential.

The part that relates to being sick today is that when we are presented with a bad situation, we have choices where we can turn the supposedly bad situation into a gift or opportunity. This is how I typically see things, and try to very quickly. I try not to dwell on the negative feelings and try to see things as gifts or opportunities. Shirzad calls this the three-gifts technique.

The three gifts from being sick this week for me are the following: (1). My kids are very resourceful and independent. They can make their own food, help with the chores, look out for each other and get their homework done without my nagging. They also do know how to be quiet!; (2) My friends and family are amazing and empathetic and giving and loving. It’s ok to receive help and I feel extremely grateful, especially to my husband who took over my duties in addition to his own; (3) I got to slow down, and let things go and relax and things didn’t really fall apart.

I am thankful that I had more energy today and hope this continues tomorrow, as I continue to take it easy. As Shirzad says so eloquently, “We can’t control or choose much of what happens in work or in life. We can, however, determine the impact that these events have on us by choosing how we respond.”

So if you’re facing a challenge this week, try and see if there is a hidden gift or opportunity that might come from your “bad” situation.

Namaste

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Let Go

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Do you have a word for the year? A mantra that will bring you back to center and aligns your goals and dreams?

Is there a word or group of words that resonate with you?

I think my word(s) are Let Go. I want to let go this year of clutter, frustration, control, my need to be right, and my need to have a plan for everything. I want to just go with the flow and adapt to every moment that comes my way.

I loved the new Frozen movie and have my theme song, “Let it go.”

Yep, that’ll be my theme for this year.

What will yours be?

Right now I’m hoping to let go of this nasty bug that has taken over my body. Three days of doing nothing but laying down. I have no choice and I’ve let go of all plans and hopes this week. I sure hope I’m ready to go again tomorrow. Geez. This being sick thing is not for me.

Thank you for all the kindness shared via emails, texts, food, medicine, rides for my kids. Thanks to my husband for taking care of the kids and making me tea and bringing me medicine. I love our community and am so thankful for your love and support. xoxo

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From Charlie

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From Juliana

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From Lisa, Julie and April. Dinner and meds and dessert.

Kate, Ling, and April, thank you for the rides for my kids.

Thank you for lifting me up and supporting my family. Life is good. I am blessed and am going to be well tomorrow. Crossing my fingers and saying a prayer for healing. xo

Empty Mind

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I think I have the flu. I don’t remember feeling this lethargic and sluggish in a long time. I literally laid down and sat around most of the day, except when I had to go pick up the kids and make dinner.  It was very hard to concentrate and noises were quite distracting and sounded 10 times louder than they actually were.  I didn’t feel like I could think clearly.  And my body temperature can’t seem to regulate. I go from hot to cold and back again.  I’m not complaining, but rather sharing in case you might have similar symptoms. This too shall pass.

I did not get the flu shot, but am now thinking I should have. Do you get the flu shot?  There are news reports of people dying from the flu in the Bay Area. The people who have died have had previous conditions before getting the flu, but oh my heavens!  That’s scary. I don’t think I am going to die right now. But oh my head hurts and I sure hope it goes away by tomorrow. And I hope that everyone else who is suffering gets some relief.

It was interesting to be sitting around when the kids were home today and not doing my usual routine. Things were a lot quieter for some reason. I think because I wasn’t distracted and they knew I wasn’t feeling good, that they weren’t fighting for my attention. They were more responsible for themselves and got to work more quickly than usual. Who knows, but it was sure a nice change of pace.  I got served drinks and got lots of hugs and kisses and I love you’s.  It was nice to be cared for this way today, but I’m hoping to be back to my job tomorrow. Wish me luck and thank you for all the well wishes and suggestions to get well.  Stay healthy. xo

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IAmSickToday

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Maybe I am sick today so that I can slow down and sit still.

I am sitting in my bed, with my legs crossed and I am almost still except I’m still writing.

I have a restless soul and this is something I would like to master. Just being still.

Do you meditate? If so, how often and for how long?

I laid down to take a two hour nap today before picking up the kids from school, and think I slept for maybe 20 minutes. Even though I was sick, my mind was still restless.

We all have things we are trying to improve to make our life the best it can possibly be. I know, this is a high-class problem.

As I sit here with a stuffy, tired head and runny nose I just discovered something new already. I didn’t think I had the energy to write and I accidentally pressed the wrong button on my iPad, which lead to my new discovery: the talking and writing speaker function. How cool is that?

By sitting still, I found something new. Not something zen, but hey, it’s a start to slowing down.

I am speaking to my iPad and it is typing for me with a little wave line showing me that it is sensing my voice. Whoa. Jeff was talking about how he uses voice technology to type his text and emails now just this weekend. I guess I was subconsciously listening to him. And now that I took the time to sit still, I discovered (new) technology! I wish I would have learned this last year. But hey, there’s always time for learning.

So you know when I say my life is perfectly imperfect? This is one of those examples of not having a perfect day, but being okay with it. If you were in my house, or reading my texts or listening to me on the phone, you would really know how perfectly imperfect I really am. But I’m okay with that. I don’t expect perfection from myself or from my family or from anyone. We are all flawed, and what I expect is to flow with whatever comes my way, and to seek love everywhere, in every situation. No matter what.

I choose to share the highlights and lessons learned, every day with you. I choose to focus on the positive because negative stuff happens all the time. That’s drama. That’s what the media keeps showing us. That’s not what real life has to be all about. That’s not happiness. Ok, enough of the nots. I’m sure you understand what I’m saying.

I choose to share beauty and joy, positive experiences and peace on my blog and on my Facebook status updates. I choose to share the highlights and the best parts of my day, because that is what is good. That’s where I want to play and share and connect. Maybe boring, but it’s ok with me. 🙂

I believe there is good in every experience and that’s what I seek and look for every darn day. Do you do this too? If not, try it. Let go of anger and frustration. You’ll be amazed by how much better you feel and how much control you have over your own well being.

Namaste and good night.

My Receipt

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I remember in preschool one of the kid’s teachers told me that art work wasn’t a receipt for my child’s time in the classroom. I liked that visual and knowing not to expect anything, except for my child to hopefully enjoy their time with their friends and teachers and learning. And if not for anything else, having them in school for a couple hours was a blessing as it gave me a couple hours to recharge and have time for myself and gave them a break from my parenting.

I don’t expect receipts or a raise or a report card for being a mother. But sometimes I feel validated in ways that feel like a receipt for a job that is appreciated by my family. I am grateful knowing that they are content.

Today I had one on one time with each of my kids, as they had a bonus day off from school. My teenagers wanted to hang out with me. That alone makes me happy.

Charlie and I spent time sharing a book, and reading together throughout the day. When we had 30 minutes before his basketball practice, we slipped into Starbucks to share a drink and to read a couple more chapters.

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Christian and I went on a 6 mile hike together and enjoyed 2 hours together, checking out all the animals, enjoying the quiet of nature, exercising, and sharing conversation.

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Juliana and I have begun playing cards together, which is one of my favorite things to do. We also spent time getting beautified and shopping and cooking together. I love her company and that she will still hold my hand. I didn’t take any pictures with her today, but I did capture a picture of the beautiful sky tonight that she told me to come see.

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Tonight Charlie asked me to be his basketball coach, as they don’t have enough volunteers. I’ve coached him in baseball and soccer, and was touched that he still wants me to be his coach. I declined the invitation and thanked him for thinking of me and wanting me to be a part of his team this way. We were talking about this in the car with Juliana on the way home. She said maybe I didn’t want to be a basketball coach, but maybe I’d want to be their life coach. Did that really come out of her mouth? I said I’d love to be her life coach and guide her on her journey. Later I thanked her for making my day, and she said something to the effect, maybe she would follow me and find and create happiness like I do. For real? She already does!! How cool is that?

I love my job, and am thankful for my receipt today.

Life is good.

A Mirror

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It is what it is.

Here I am. There you are.

Today’s poem means to me that things aren’t always as they appear. We should see things as they are and not think that they have anything to do with us. We just happen to perceive it as something and make it what we want it to be in our mind, based on our own perceptions. Other people have different perceptions and definitions too. It’s a miracle we are able to communicate and connect, isn’t it?

This makes me think of the media again and how they try to make big deals out of nothing, such as Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. I don’t understand why they are perceived as newsworthy in America. What do they symbolize and why do we care? The media creates these images and ideas that they try to tell us are important, when they are not. Just something to think about.

It is why it is also important to fill our minds with positive thoughts, ideas, and dreams because we get to choose to create and respond to our reality and we might as well think of it as good, or at least fake it ’til we make it. 🙂

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I like to just be, without any real expectations or filters. I like to use up the entire day and I like to watch the changing colors of light from morning until night, and then do it again the next day. I like to learn from my experiences and from others and to have an open mind, and adapt, knowing that I don’t know everything.

I’m still learning! That’s what keeps life exciting.

Have a great week!

Red, White, and Blue

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I keep getting asked if I am happy to be home, or if I wish I was still living overseas. This is a complicated question and there isn’t an easy answer. Overall, I say yes, I am happy to be home again in the United States, and more especially California, but I miss several aspects of the European, expat lifestyle as well.

I miss the friendships the most and the slower pace of life. I miss our travel around the world, exploring new lands and cultures and living in Holland and exploring and adapting to the local way of life the best I could.

Being away also made me appreciate all that is good in America. Sometimes the media makes it sound like America is broken, but I don’t believe all of it. For some reason, it seems normal to talk about all the negativity and I don’t understand that. I would like to see and share more stories about why America is great and why so many immigrants want to become citizens of this great country and all that it offers.

This morning there was an article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that made me appreciate living here and proud to be an American. I am also thankful and proud to have European roots. They are not mutually exclusive. I just think its time to change the conversation and focus on what’s good again in the USA, and celebrate our roots too.

The WSJ article, “Why I Chose the Red, White and Blue,” by Philip Delves Broughton, mentions receiving a certificate of naturalization from President Obama after being sworn in as a citizen. It says, “Since our founding, generations of immigrants have come to this country full of hope for a brighter future, and they have made sacrifices in order to pass that legacy on to their children and grandchildren. This is the price and promise of citizenship. You are now part of this precious history, and you serve as an inspiration to those who will come after you.”

I believe this is a good reminder for all of us living here. We are part of the experience and creating history. We have a duty to one another to continue to do great things and to continue to make our country amazing. That comes from being of service, helping one another and working hard, doing the right thing. It also comes from being able to vote and to have a say in what we believe. There are so many things we do well and enjoy on this great land, like watching football games and bonding with our like minded friends who dress in the same team colors and root for the same team.

These are a few things that create happiness. I am happy to be home (and still miss Holland.)

Life is good.

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Zen

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I bought a Zen calendar that sits on my desk with daily quotes.  I thought it might be fun to share them here on the days when life is just normal and when I don’t have as much to write about. Another thought is to think of the quote of the day and connect it with the daily happenings. I hope you enjoy them and reflect and connect them to your own experience.

Today is January 3, 2014.  It would have been my Grandma’s birthday today and it is my cousin’s baby’s birthday. Happy birthday, Rylie Bear.  We enjoyed being back home from our journey and getting resettled again.  I got to the gym this morning and Jeff went back to work. We did loads of laundry and received a furniture delivery today to redo our living room and to create a more organized space. I’m very excited about this. I also got to get outside and practice my tennis with some friends, which always makes me happy. It was a good game in the sunshine and the younger kids came with me and played with their friends, while I played with mine. Life is good.

“The practice of Zen is not limited to the meditation mat. The practice of zen is our entire life and is the very thread that binds our different lives together. Discovering this truth is called awakening, and it can take a circuitous route.”

– Janet Jiryu Abels (a Zen teacher)

Zen is a form of enlightenment. It is a meditative state.  One way to think of zen is as a total state of focus that incorporates a total togetherness of body and mind. Zen is a way of being. It’s a way of accepting reality just as it is and being present in the moment.

I enjoyed today – getting some exercise again, eating a bit more healthfully and getting resettled after all of our travels.  I hope you had a good day too and enjoy the weekend.  

Namaste.

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