(word 7)

I have a confession. When something is bothering me, I reach for food. It’s subconscious at first. Like a habit. Then I notice.

Easier to avoid then to deal. Easier to ignore then to feel. The chips are a definite red flag. I suspect I’m not the only one. Maybe it’s not food, maybe it’s shopping, the internet, the kids, a job. They all can do a pretty good cover job for a while.

The truth is despite the band aid, the feelings still exist. And the beautiful truth is we can choose to be free, if we are WILLING.

When “the habit” shows up and you notice, make the time. Ask yourself the candid questions any concerned friend would.Write down what you hear. The seeing brings clarity.

During my morning time, I went direct. “What’s up?” I asked. I waited and listened. I feel alone in this and I’m afraid. I continued to write what I heard. And the well filled. (I’ll post details on Tuesday’s blog). Now on an index card tucked safely inside my planner, the words are there to remind me of the truth. And I’m happy to say I haven’t had a chip since.

Whether it’s fear or disappointment, anger or angst. As we acknowledge and feel, we can move through to beyond. Yes, the only way I know is through. Get quiet and listen to your inner voice. It brings solutions and restores peace.

Be willing!

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(word 6)

It’s a new week. Let’s GO!

I’m sure you’ve been swimming around in your head long enough. Time to lose those fins and walk on dry land. Look down, right now, right where you are. The earth beneath your feet stood under dinosaurs. And if we’re lucky, it will continue to serve long after we’re gone. To stand on it is a gift.

I heard a guy at the park the other day singing a familiar song “Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream. Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.” For the first time, I heard the words. That simple song was talking about the journey of life, its movement forward and its brevity. A dream is a pretty short time.

Where will you leave your footprints? What marks are important? Make the targets clear. Each day we consume a very valuable, very limited resource.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

RETHINKING

The “THIS WEEK” part of UPWORD has always disturbed me. It sounds like another “to-do” or another thing to feel guilty about not doing, so I’m eliminating it.

Here’s what I suggest. Add the weekly word to an UPWORD index card and remind yourself each morning. Set the intention to listen. Then wait and watch. Strange intersections will happen, someone will randomly mention the word or you will have a thought drop from the sky. It could be anything. The excitement of the adventure!

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(word 5)

The word for this week is THANKS.

From about 350 brainstormed words, I drew one at a time and filled the 2010 calendar of Sundays for UPWORD. Some really wonderful coincidences happened, like today. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Perfect day to send love and gratitude. I know you will send lots OUT. But here, I want you to send love IN. Remember that airplane message, “your oxygen mask first.” It insures the safety of those you love. Well, it’s true always. Caring for yourself has to come first.

Fill in the blank… “Thank you, <<First Name>>, for _____________.” What effort seems to have gone unnoticed, unappreciated? Take a moment to think. Go simple and true. Write it down. Is there another? Continue writing. Start each sentence with these same words. Tell yourself thanks. I know you deserve it!

Feels good. Like a hot bubble bath.

THIS WEEK, write one of your statements on a post-it, big and loud. Stick it on the bathroom mirror or anywhere you pass regularly. Read it every time you do. Feel the message. You DO make a difference! ♥

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(word 4)

The word for this week is . . . COMPELLING.

It is in the compelling zest of high adventure and of victory, and in creative action, that man finds his supreme joys. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

A passion is compelling. As a magnet, it attracts us withan invisible power. Like bees to honey, dogs to bones, and kids to play. Some of us are drawn to create, to counsel, to climb, to kids.

We can’t help it. It’s part of our DHA… Dynamic Heart Attraction. It is the thing we want to do on vacation, with our weekends, when the kids have grown. The thing that may have been passed over, because “it doesn’t make any money.” It’s the thing that still makes our heart sing.

Passion is not something we choose. It’s something that is there already, deep inside, and uncovered. Passion compels us to act, to get involved, to move. It brings excitement, pleasure and growth. We feel alive.

Connected, we light up. Now, we become the compelling part, attracting others by our energy. People want what we have. And we have plenty to give, because we have been fed. Our light, now sparkling, allows others to see. That’s why it’s called Dynamic Heart Attraction. It is a process that is moving and active, alive and changing the world!

THIS WEEK  Uncover your passion. What excites your inner spirit to think about? You will feel it. Deep down, you probably already know.

Enjoy your passion this week. There are few things more satisfying. I’m being generous here. Maybe nothing is. It’s who we are. It’s where we find peace.

There’s always a way to connect. Maybe it’s a movie, a magazine, or the internet. Maybe it’s just a picture you post. Or some writing you read. Enjoy a bit everyday. It keeps the view a whole lot brighter.

Oh, and about having more than one. Choose the one that brings the most pleasure. Or join them in some way. You’re creative. I know you will think of something. 😉

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(word 3)

You are a vast mystery.

Awesome and amazing. Filled with secrets even you do not know yet. How could the person living just inside be so allusive? So intriguing? So much to DISCOVER.

Dorothy fell asleep in a billowy green field filled with yellow poppies and expansive blue sky, the sun beaming and the wind delighted. This place? It’s called The Unknown.

As we seek and question, we are invited in. It’s like no other place. It’s where Adventure lives.

Also Answers, all answers, live in The Unknown. Visit and see if you can find them.

THIS WEEK, make room to discover. Ask yourself a question. Maybe something you’d like to change or something you’ve been meaning to try. The rules: it has to include you and it can’t include “should” (or any other guilt statement). Could be a baby step.

“What if I turned off the radio while I washed the dishes?”
“How would I make a teapot?”
“What would happen without that hair product?”
“Where would I go if I could go anywhere?”

Welcome to The Unknown. Wiggle your toes in the cool grass. Feel the warm rays on your skin. It’s a “wonder”ful place to be.

In this place, you will find You.

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(word 2)

I didn’t come here to worry or wonder
Or hide away under the ground
The heartbeat I hear makes it perfectly clear
That I’m here to live out loud. ~Christine Kane

Suppose you met this thought this week “I want to go back to school for nursing.” Wow! What an amazing thought. A revelation in fact. Time to celebrate!

The party begins, and every sort of fella from your thought pond swims in. Remember those guys. What they looked like, the diverse assortment (from last week). They’ve all come. Now the place is so crowded, it’s hard to breathe.

Hmmm. Maybe you didn’t want EVERYONE to come. No, I’m sure you didn’t. You only wanted those thoughts who support the dream to be there. What if, at the door, you played bouncer. You decided who to let in and who to refuse? You have the right. It’s YOUR party. Either they’re in or there’s out! You say “NOPE! Not allowed in here!. GO!!”

Or, another way. What about sending out invitations intentionally. To the “A” list only. No invite, no entry.

Sure some thoughts are stronger than others. Some are desperate to crash the party. But it’s your right and your job to say NO!!! Be ruthless. Protect this treasure. It is part of who you are you, who you were made to be. If necessary, get help! Recruit the muscles of a friend or spouse. Sometimes it takes a team.

Revised scene (invitations pre-sent) . . your underwater party. Look around now. Take it in. You are surrounded by only your favorite thoughts. This is the sight to remember! Fill the photo album. A room full of helpers that support the upward movement. YES!!!

Remember, you’re free to choose!

THIS WEEK

What thought are you celebrating this week? Write it down. Small or large, it doesn’t matter. (There’s always opposition.) Who do you want to celebrate with you? Make a list of the thoughts. There is no budget (cause it costs nothing). So there’s no limit. Go wild! But be particular and clear. And throw the best darn party ever!

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(word 1)

Your thoughts swim around in a pond.
The view is captivating!
Some thoughts are colorful and others tonal.
Some cute. Some scary.
Some are isolated. Others move in groups.
Can you see them?
Some are huge, others teeny.
Some zip by. Others lollygag.
Some live at the surface.
Others lurk in deep waters.
Close your eyes and watch as they move about.

Now jump in. No one’s looking, clothes and all. You’re on an expedition to discover who these guys are. Swim right up, don’t be scared. LISTEN closely. They want to be heard. And no judgments please. No one likes to be judged.

THIS WEEK, discover the underwater world that lives within you. Visit as often as you can, at different times of day. Become familiar with the visual surroundings, the tendencies and traditions that exist there.

Dedicate a notebook to UPWORD and write about your trips. Engage all the senses – sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. Describe as personally as you can. What thoughts are there? What do they look like? You’re taking inventory.

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