Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Serenity!

The word from my heart pocket is Serenity.

It's the end of the day. My friend was on vacation and had spent time in the sun with friends, chatting and eating good food and relaxing. Her life is normally busy with grandchildren and caregiving and not unlike most of us, the business of life. 

Life is noisy and unpredictable and just when you think it's evening out, something pops up to surprise us. We wish for peace. For serenity. 

It doesn't matter what our job is or what age we are or in what stage of our lives we find ourselves. When life gets too chaotic, we want it to stop for just a moment - to catch our breath, to remember who we are, to feel the calm of serenity.

Serenity is a kind of sacredness. We don't have to be religious or a spiritual practitioner to understand this. The effect that serenity has in our lives is unmistakable and when we allow it, it heals whatever ails us. 

Sometimes there is great clarity in times of serenity. When we're experiencing it, the coffee tastes better, we notice the sound of the breeze through the treetops, we feel the beating of our own heart and it sounds like the waves lapping the shore - rhythmic, gentle, miraculous.

There is a time for serenity. Human beings seem to wish for excitement when there is too much serenity and the opposite is true. But we live in a boisterous world. It's fast and furious and can be deafening at times. When we do the world for too long, we lose our composure. That's the time when a moment of serenity works its magic. 

Serenity can come from music, or holding a book in your hands and reading (not your kindle) or lying on a beach and listening to the waves. It can come from making a piece of art or stitching, a day of fishing or hiking in the woods. Serenity is organic. It is a form of prayer and although for some that means church, it isn't exclusive to the building. 

In fact, church has become a social place - for fellowship and gathering and collective worship. Serenity is an alone practice. We don't have to be alone to experience it, but that is when it most often appears in our lives.

Let it in. Allow serenity to wrap you in its arms and rock you for awhile. Let it remind you that you are loved and treasured and valued for your humanness. Feel the nurturing of serenity, its gentle sensibility and at the core, the connection it offers to all that is.

My friend's view from the swing ...

  

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Honesty!

Incredible photography by Tjasa Maticic - click here for more

The word from my heart pocket is Honesty.

Inspired by Ms. Maticic's depiction of the honesty plant, I am reminded how frail and breakable honesty is. This photo is taken in the winter, when the honesty plant is brittle and beautifully delicate. We speak of honesty as brutal and perhaps at times it feels that way because of the way honesty is revealed and how it is received. In my mind, those who are brutally honest might be getting a rush from the brutality more than the honesty part. Looking beyond the brutality of it will usually reveal an agenda. No. Honesty is not brutal. It is one of the absolutes for successful living. It is one of the big keys on the keyring of happiness. Honesty brings peace of mind and heart and it is best friends with compassion. 

We can speak honestly, that is, we can tell the truth. We promote the idea through platitudes and force. But the real test begins within ourselves. If we are not honest there, then we cannot possibly be honest anywhere else. It simply cannot be.

When we are dishonest, we are avoiding something, we are afraid. We might be afraid of being poor or not having enough money so we are sometimes dishonest with others. We might not want others to know we aren't perfect and so we invent stories or say things that aren't true. Dishonesty isn't easy to maintain. It's a lot of trouble. 

The benefits of honesty never end. There is no in between so we know where we are. There is no half-way of being honest. We either are, or we are not.

But is honesty simply a matter of black or white? Yes, it is. No way around it. Some might feel there is a time to be honest and a time to ... to what? To lie? To deceive? That is true. Black and white. 

And here is where the comfort lies. When we are honest, we cannot be hoodwinked. The more honesty we practice, the easier it is to spot a liar. Honesty breeds confidence and self-assurance. Honesty in a world full of smoke and mirrors is secretly loathed, but it cannot be replaced. 

Each of us has our own belief system. Each of us follows our own truths. How can we recognize honesty in a world filled with so many different beliefs?

Honesty is often confused with Belief. We come to our own truths through our beliefs. But beliefs can change. Honesty does not. Beliefs are based on faith and personal experience. Honesty comes directly from the heart and no matter what anyone says or writes - We know when we are honest and when we are not. This is the crux of it. This is where change can happen. This is where honesty begins and ends.

Honesty is a part of goodness. It sometimes requires courage. It rewards those who practice it with inner greatness and it commands respect without bravado or pomp and circumstance. Honesty is a humble activity and worthy of us all. Honesty is a choice and can be made at any time. It is life changing in every moment.

Living honestly is fun and attracts people and experiences of like heart. You are reading this and you know this. Have some honest fun today!  

A fun tidbit: The Honesty Plant is also known as The Money Plant. Ironically honest, yes?

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Goal!

Stitching classes by Wendy Lewis - Click here!

The word for my heart pocket is Goal!

Yesterday a writer friend emailed to say that "after being overwhelmed by my book proposal for months, I set a deadline to GET IT ORGANIZED. I laid it out on my king-size bed, chapter by chapter, section by section. Then I took a notebook and began to write out the changes ...."

She set a goal. A real one. Not the kind that floats through our heads as we're driving to the grocery store and then is quickly replaced by making dinner. Not the sort that resembles a New Year's Resolution and fizzles out when your head clears. And yet, the goals that appear when we're driving or come with sudden resolve can turn into real ones. That's our part in the process, making it happen. All we have to do is the work. It is astounding how simple a concept can be muddied by every excuse in the book.

There are some key points that my friend experienced that are actually very practical tools in the process of reaching a goal. Let's take a look at what precipitated setting her goal and following through ...

"I hosted our weekly meditation session at my house."

Wow. She meditated. Quieted her busy mind and body to get to a receptive place. It is very special to make time for this, especially with people who have similar intentions of raising our collective consciousness. If that sounds "new age" to some, it isn't. It's as old as the hills. Maybe older. It simply means getting quiet and having a little time with God. Some people use prayer, some people use exercise. For some it happens when they are completely focused on cleaning house or working in the garden. When you can gather others of like mind to do this, it is very powerful.

"There were only two of us so after meditation, we had time to relax and chat about writing and philosophy."

The other person is also a writer, and I happen to know that because of extraneous circumstances, she is also experiencing difficulty clearing her mind and staying at task. Life is like that. We can set a million goals or just one and life will bombard us with what feels like urgent hardship and overwhelming business. Unless it is an emergency, all we have to do is place our goal higher on the priority list. That is, make it Number One. Doing it first. The goal comes before all else. I'm not talking about abandoning living or those we love. I'm speaking of making a list of things to do today and making your goal the most important accomplishment. If the goal will take months or years to finish, compartmentalize and make sure that the steps to the goal always take precedence. Not over an emergency. Not over life-threatening happenstance, not over being present for your child. That is an important goal, too. 

These two writers relaxed. They talked about what they love. They spoke of their individual challenges. They shared.

I was so possessed with energy after our session that I made a Sunday date with my book proposal." 

She was energized and inspired. She found clarity and she knew what she had to do. She set the goal of starting on Sunday. She blocked out the time, Sunday came and she began.

She then did something that is vital to movement toward any goal. It is the key to removing overwhelm and is a catalyst for progress. 

She put her work in front of her so she could see it. She could focus on each section on its own. She could see how it did or did not fit together. She relieved the burden of doing this in her mind by physically laying it out. She made little goals that led to her main goal. 

"There were five sections. I set my time limit to three hours. It took four. I gathered everything up and went to a friend's house. We went through it again. We made minor changes. That took another two hours. I imagined that I was sewing a beautiful quilt, carefully selecting patterns, laying them down and then taking silk thread to weave them together. Since I can't sew at all, this is entirely in my imagination. To me, writing is like this."

She made room for cognitive thinking and creativity ... and they came. 

"I feel great today! I have not looked at my proposal and I will not, until I set a date with my king-size bed. It's like a dance. You choreograph the piece. Set up the players ... and watch the magic unfold. You must give it a second or third look and rearrange the structure again. So the dance continues ..."

... until is it enough. Setting a goal and meeting it is one of the most incredibly satisfying feelings in life's experience. Setting a goal and not following through when it was in our power all of the time, is one of the most frustrating and self-defeating.

Set reasonable goals.

Prioritize.

Don't quit until your goal is met.

Frustrated? Examine your goal. 

Go back to the top and begin again.

Start your quilt today. Begin the dance. Finish a game you started and make a score!

Pamela Stone is a writer full of passion and honesty. She tackles subjects that speak to us as human beings and brings them straight to our hearts. To learn more about Pamela, click here ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Vitality!

 

Thank you, Walter! - click to enjoy Walter Breuning's Wisdom

The word from my heart pocket is Vitality.

Energy

Spirit

Audacity

Being

Spunk

Endurance

Zest

Guts

Exuberance

Strength

Continuity

Life

Each of us creates our own brand of vitality. It's not how long you live, but how you choose to make each day come alive that counts. Along with Walter Breuning, let's celebrate the joy of living with vitality for another day!

 

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Opportunity!

photo/shutterstock.com

The word from my heart pocket is Opportunity.

What is Opportunity to you?

Is it your lucky chance? Is it that circumstances become favorable and you take advantage of them? Is it finally your turn? Is it your big break? Do you see an opening and walk through it? Is it your one shot, your fair shake, your moment in time?

When does opportunity appear? All the time. In every moment. When you do your best at whatever is at hand, that's an opportunity - for your boss to see you, to feel good about yourself, to learn and increase your skills. To experience something new.

How does opportunity benefit you? Ask this question to a crowd of people and the Number One answer is always Money. That's because money is on everyone's brain all the time. Anyone else have a thought? Depends on the opportunity, doesn't it? Whatever the circumstance of it, whatever the possibility it holds, there it is ... The opportunity to teach, to heal, to grow, to help, to be honest, to create, to feel good, to be kind, and yes, to make lots of money. There are negative types of opportunities to cheat, to steal, to lie, to hurt someone, to ignore, to be a coward, to abuse. This shows that what opportunities we choose creates our character and that it is not the opportunity that is important, it is the person inside of it.

How do you best use opportunity?

 

Step One: Be open to it. Entertain the idea that opportunity is in everything. If you are having an idea or a specific thought about something, then opportunity is ripe. Time to peel it. Expose yourself to it. Roll it around in your head and imagine it. How does it look? How does it feel? How much do you like it, want it? Nothing is impossible.

Step Two: See yourself inside the opportunity. This means making yourself available; putting yourself out there. This can happen in the framework of your personality, your goals and your dreams. Opportunity knows no bounds and is an equal opportunity employer. It is vast and wide and wants us to know that there are millions of opportunities for each of us. Usually the biggest opportunities culminate from a series of really small ones. That's why the "every minute" ones are so important. You never know when or where they'll happen. Most of us are not mind readers and often, we are myopic.

Step Three: Recognize something as an opportunity. How do we know it when it appears? Some are obvious. Some we have dreamed of all of our lives and we would recognize them anywhere. Some we feel we were born to do. Some pass us by while we are busy being in a fog or avoiding them. Awareness is key. That means listening, understanding, and considering the opportunity. Most of us get stopped at #1. A clue is that we feel really good.

We are never too old or too young or too fat or not degree'd enough for opportunity. When facing what feels like huge obstacles, Overwhelm and Fear are two of the biggest scalawags that block our vision. If we can push them aside, even for an hour - this will remove pressure to see the opportunities available. Even if they are small, they usually offer something proactive that gives us a leg up and turns us toward the direction we want to go. When you can't see any opportunity, do something. Do SOMETHING (I suggest 3 somethings) toward your goal. Then take a walk. This combination of actions is an amazing prescription for stress relief and insight.

If you don't try for your opportunities, there are plenty of people who will. 

If you don't give yourself credit enough to try, start right there. Start by practicing courage. Do something tiny that takes you one step outside your comfort zone. The safety net is that you can go back to where you were. Send the query letter. Check out the classifieds and mark jobs you'd really like to have. Imagine step by step how you would get a job like that. Do step one.  

Opportunities open up when you make up your mind you want them in your life.

 

Opportunities appear when you decide you are willing to do what it takes.  

Opportunities are reciprocal: You work for them and they work for you. You're a team and you can become inseparable.

What is Opportunity to you? What is the first thing that comes to your mind? That's the opportunity most important to you right now. Go for it!

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Heal!

Artwork by Regina Stark - for more click here

The word from my heart pocket is heal.

I read something beautiful last night ...

"We miraculously heal in the presence of someone who believes in our light even when we are lost in our darkness. And when we learn to see others in the light of their true being, whether they are showing us that light or not, then we have the power to work that miracle for them."  Marianne Williamson 

I've seen this type of healing over and over and over ... and over. I have experienced it, as healer and the healed.

Have you seen the hurt in someone's eyes when your criticism cuts them to the quick? Have you felt the pain of a friend's discounting actions? Have you felt the healing that happens when you offer encouragement to a child? Our words are powerful. Belittling actions such as rolling your eyes or mumbling the word "whatever" when someone offers an idea or suggestion can be more hurtful than this flippant reaction intends. 

The obvious meanings of heal encompass a broad range of circumstances: cure, recover, fix, improve, mend, rebuild, reconcile, remedy, renew treat, soothe, repair, restore, revive. All of these words conjure images. Each one can elicit a different response. The power of healing is in each of us. We don't always know if it's happening. By living compassionately and at the very least, with consideration, we are healing in every moment.

It might be enough to be reminded that we hold this power. Knowing this might stop us from saying something hurtful, or to help us to be mindful of how much effect we have on others - especially those who look to us for guidance. Recall instances when you felt vulnerable and someone spoke harshly or intentionally tried to hurt you. Imagine if that person had chosen to use kind words or had valued your well being as much as his. You might be thinking at this moment that we can't support this type of mindfulness every minute but that isn't true. We can. We only have to practice it. Like a musical instrument, we can make healing music and that music becomes more and more beautiful as we practice.

The heart leads the way on this one. But it does not work alone. It requires the mind to help with justice and righteous indignation and clarity. The mind helps us discern the type of healing that must take place. Healing is an artful activity. It is creative because of the many variables involved. It is both right and left brained. It is important because it is universal to us all.

Be mindful in your healing today. Observe your responses. Listen to your tone of voice. Choose words that are truthful and whenever there is the chance to uplift, do so. This applies as much to ourselves as it does to others. In truth, it is where healing begins.

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Explore!

The word from my heart pocket is Explore.

How do I get from here to there? What's over there? It's got to be better than it is here. How will I ever know if There is better than Here unless I go there and find out? Do I even want to go there? Do I just need to change what I'm doing here? Where am I, anyway? And how did I get here?

Questions are a vital part of exploration. We may not voice them all out loud but we think them all day long. When we explore, we sometimes fight with ourselves like the above mental whiplash. But it's good to question and it's even better to head out on the road to wherever it is we think we want to go. Maybe not physically. Maybe not right away, although sometimes that's the best shortcut we can take. Usually, to make a little plan is ... a good plan. Exploration requires some forethought. So we know what to take with us. So we can make a map of sorts. So we can invite others to join us. So we can take care of business before going it alone. 

There are a bajillion ways to explore. In our minds. On foot. With our hearts. Through books. We can explore forwards and backwards and sideways and down. We can search the heavens and the depths of the ocean and the recesses of our minds. We can explore relationships and technology and the garden in our back yard. We can prospect for riches, research frontiers of healing, test new inventions, probe with numbers and science and sound.

Exploring is the essence of education. One more time.

Exploring is the essence of Education.

Teachers should allow all kinds of questions from their students. Parents and caregivers of children should find answers to questions, exploring them together if they do not know. Learning is a direct result of exploration and should be valued above memorization. Looking something up is a type of exploration.

There is something to learn in every minute. Although we also must take time to think and try and record and think some more during our times of exploration, we will always learn something, even if it is that it is time to learn something else.

Exploring sometimes means going outside one's comfort zone. Unless you are a natural adventurer, this can be a place not very far. That's okay. Every step, especially the baby ones, are proportionately more important. 

Build in some time to explore somewhere or something new today. Maybe you just want to explore your options. Good place to start ...

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Transition!

The word from my heart pocket is Transition.

It can be a confusing time, transition. It can also be exciting and scary and full of adventure. We slip and slide and wing it. We are definite one day and unsure the next. The unknown is glaring when what we planned disappears or doesn't look and feel the way we imagined. Transition begins with a plan or a trauma or when there has been avoidance for a very long time. Sometimes the transition is welcomed with open arms. We can resist it, other times, kicking and screaming the entire way. 

Transition doesn't have to be large. Small transitions take us across the street, to a handshake or a hug, to a place of organization or where there is, at last, time to read or tend the garden.  

Transition can be huge. It can turn us upside down and inside out. When we feel we are being left behind, it is good to stop a moment to get our bearings, to clear the mind, to feel the earth beneath our feet. Since transition is a kind of shift, it's good to have touchstones along the way; familiarity of some kind. It can come from the voices of friends and family, from favorite foods or music that moves us. Little ones like to take their blankie to day care. It's a bit of home meant for comfort in an unfamiliar surroundings. The blanket is soon saved only for naptime as new friends are made and safety is apparent. 

Traumatic times can be frightening and if we are unsure of ourselves in the face of change, this transition time can paralyze the mind. We are not paralyzed. We are allowing ourselves this comfort space because what is imagined is too hard to face. The antidote is movement, albeit, baby steps. One thing, one day at a time. Overwhelm and self-doubt get bigger and bigger if we let them. If we were to draw a picture (it helps to do this), we would be very small, like we were a tiny gnat about to be swallowed by a big monster. This reaction to a sudden transition takes time, especially when we are someone not practiced in the art of change. One of the certainties about transition is that the longer we stay in the tunnel of it, the longer we experience it. The sooner we move to the other side, the more quickly the anxiety of it disappears. The beauty of transition is that we are in charge of how it happens. It might not feel that way at first, but that is the truth. There is always choice, even when we don't see it. It is there, standing tall, waiting to be called by name.

The world is transitioning right now which has caused transitions for its inhabitants. It is an odd transition because we are moving forward at the speed of light and in doing so, finding the need to include ideas and thinking from a by-gone era. Young ones are discovering them as new. Old ones are finding solace in the affirmation of their lives. A renaissance is emerging. Creativity is taking a front seat again, ready to assist when we feel stuck and unsure. It is the greatest resource we have during a time of transition. It never sleeps. It grows in size the more we use it. It is present in all aspects of living, available to parents and teachers, managers and entrepreneurs. It delights in the art of all of life ... and in particular, transition. 

 

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Hungry!

Artwork by Jill Morton - Click to see more!

The word from my heart pocket is Hunger.

We need nourishment. Our bodies need it, our minds need it, our sense of self, our sense of more than ourselves - All requires care in order to live.

Plant life lifts its arms to the sun for light. Its roots burrow deep for the cool wet nutrients of the earth. Animals in the wild migrate to accommodate their needs. All living creatures need nourishment to exist. When there is a void of that nourishment, we get hungry. When it threatens our survival, our choices change and we get the chance to change, too.

Hunger comes in many forms. It shows itself long before the gurgles begin, far ahead of the cramping pangs that squeeze the life out of us. Hunger isn't only biological and biological hunger isn't the only kind that can alter, maim and kill.  The signs of hunger are gentle at first and if we are too busy or too frightened or not practiced in honesty or courage, they are easily ignored and pushed aside. We suddenly find ourselves in a danger zone and we wonder how life can be so unfair.

Attention is a good antidote to hunger. It is a simple activity and doesn't require much energy. It is like the movement an owl makes as he turns his head every which way, examining all sides for danger and possible food. 

Hunger is an indication that something is lacking. It can cause movement. It will inspire genius. It releases creative juices and gets the mind and body moving. It can change the direction of lives.

No one is exempt from hunger. We might have plenty of money and feel like no one loves us. We might have oodles of ability and feel undervalued in our work. We might have great understanding and innately know how to teach others and not know how to use those gifts. We all hunger for something. It's good to be hungry now and then. Hunger reminds us how much we want to live.

Starvation can be fatal. It requires attention. Our world is suffering from starvation of all kinds. It is up to those of us who are not starving to lend a hand, including to ourselves. Give the gift of nourishment to those who need it. The opportunity is there every day, every week. Take a look at your own nourishment needs - laughter, self-discipline, relaxation, tenderness, permission, release from perfection. Nurture what feeds you. Answer the hungry call inside.

 

Heart Pocket Word for the Day is Pattern!

 

 

The word from my heart pocket is Pattern.

In a rut and wanting to get out of it? 

Too much chaos and wishing for routine?  

Pattern holds the key.

Sometimes a rut is a safe place to be. It's not always healthy to stay there for too long but a pattern of behavior that is routine and works is a good thing. When we feel scattered and we're spreading ourselves over a broad range of tasks, we can simplify, put ourselves inside a rigid routine for awhile to obtain balance and peace. These are patterns and patterns are useful tools.

Patterns are clues. They tell us what's working and what's not. All we have to do is notice the patterns in our lives to discover what needs to change. 

When we are overweight and we sincerely want to reshape our bodies, the first action to take is to examine eating and exercise patterns. Fancy diet plans and personal trainers are inspirational and they act as catalysts of change in our habits. But if we don't look at the patterns that affect our lifestyle, the weight loss will last only as long as we are enamored with the special diet and the idea of the gym. It will soon become a pattern, too. If we don't address what lies at the root of the pattern, we will not have long-lasting success.

If we are unhappy in our work, our home life, our relationships, it works to examine the patterns in those areas. Write them down. Read them out loud. Hear them as if a true friend was sharing the details of his life. Be kind to your friend. Always tell the truth. 

Patterns R Fun. Finding them is like a game and putting them together is like a jigsaw puzzle. The more intricate the pattern the more interesting the game. The more honest we are, the more fun the game is. The reason for this is that honesty is the best strategy. We always win. And it leads to a new pattern.

Patterns R Beautiful. They wind and curve and twist and twirl. They exist on grids with ladders and crosswalks. There are shortcuts and long leisurely paths and there are patterns within patterns. The choice of how to make your pattern is completely up to you. You're the artist of your pattern. You're the President of your pattern's company. 

Patterns will change. Like the wallpaper in our homes, like the clothes in our closets - we want new experiences, new relationships, new challenges, new forms of peace.

There are many ways to trace a pattern. It's up to you to discover what works best. Don't give up because something isn't working. Look at the whys and hows and whats. Get involved with your pattern and own it! Let it reflect exactly who you are!