Saturday, June 24, 2017

Brothers and Sisters . . . Oh, My!

       
Brother and Sister
06.24.17.

Lulu has arrived--and she has been here for just one week. Teddy kind of likes her, but is a bit annoyed, in general . . . and I don't blame him.

He's been TOP DOG for over 2 years! Daddy's best (beast) friend, a super-great armpit sleeper! And a ball boy extraordinaire.

I think he's secretly happy she's here, even though she's a bit of a pain.

I wonder if that's how my brother felt about me.

I didn't really get my brother or connect with him until we were in college. We went to the same university--the U of MN--and he was a Lodger and I was a DG. We started school the same time even though he was a year older, because he went to Amsterdam for "grade 13" after he was heartbroken because he couldn't go to Carleton College. My parents couldn't afford it, and they made too much money for him to get scholarship money. But that's another story.

My point is, we don't really appreciate what is right in front of us, because we aren't present. We are planning the future, regretting the past, or hating on all the $#!t that we don't appreciate about life in general. We are generally numb, I believe, and I'm not excusing myself from it, either. 

I hope my kids, Max and Chloe, love each other as much as my brother and me did. They really don't even want to be in the same house right now, sadly.

They are really different from each other, and they don't see that as a cool thing. 

My brother and I were really different, too.

I didn't even get how much he meant to me, until my brother, Chris, died. How freakin' obvious is that? (You don't realize what you've got until it's gone . . .)

Sometimes, I feel like he dies every damn day like a throat-closing, choke, cry feeling. 

He was my best friend.

I hope Lulu and Ted are best friends. I think it's meant to be. ;)

Friday, June 23, 2017

fLy fRee aBovE thE sTorM!



“When it rains, most birds head for shelter; 
the Eagle is the only bird that,
in order to avoid the rain, 
starts flying above the cloud.”


I have been writing a little bit about breaking free from relationships that don't feel positive and that do not support our highest good. Sometimes, we keep friends around, even when we are uncomfortable for whatever reason--we give too much, we are criticized or told what to do, or we just can't be ourSelvesSometimes, we hang on just because we are afraid of being alone.



Someone is better than no one, right? If we are mean to ourselves, why shouldn't others be treat us in the same way, as well? We draw into our lives people who mirror how we treat ourselves. 

We really need courage to let go of these  unhealthy relationships. Only then can we make room for other relationships that are a better fit!

Have you ever noticed that the SAME stuff keeps showing up in your life until you learn your lesson ?!!!!? Funny how that works! Thanks You-niverse!

People treat us the way we allow ourselves to be treated (BTW--it's the same when you are grown up!...)! So, if you notice that you hang with people who aren't very nice to you, ask yourself, "Why?" 

MAybe they aren't your peoples, after all! 

They are a reflection of how you feel about you! So, what if you love yourself enough to rise above the storm--like an EaGle! 

fLy hiGh and fRee little cHickaDee!

Love U,
;) dana

Thursday, June 22, 2017

relation-SHIPS are journeys, not destinations!



The journey is the reward.
-Chinese Proverb


WeLL hELLo all fUn & fRee feLLow tRaVeLers--

As you know, I have been writing a lot lately about the delicate dance of relation-SHIP, and by relation-SHIP, I literally mean SHIP--like, as in relation-SHIPs are journeys, not destinations. 

Sometimes, travel is smooth and beautiful, and the water is crystal clear and the skies are baby blue. Whew!

Other times, waters are murky and tumultuous & filled with predators, and the sky is pitch black, rainy and thunderous--Scary!

Most of us have a destination in mind when we go on a journey, and this is often true of a relation-SHIP, as well. We have an idea of where we want it to go, and so often, we have OUR PLAN (destination) in mind . . . and we forget to really see and appreciate the person in front of us and we don't live authentically in our own skin.

This is also true when we meet someone and assume they have nothing to offer us. We never see the gifts they potentially could offer us in our life 'cuz we think we have it figured out before we even allow the relation-SHIP to develop.

I don't know about you, but some of the coolest journeys I have taken are just getting in the car and starting to drive--without knowing where I am going . . . OR (even better) . . . having a set destination and then getting lost or going on a detour and ending up somewhere even more amazing than I had ever imagined . . . (I'm sure you know where I'm secretly going with this by now!)

CONSIDER THIS: 
Relation-SHIPS are journeys, not destinations, and if we open ourselves to fully experiencing another person, while being authentic at the same time, the possibilities are endless! Hello!

For those of us who have ever chased a relationship, this notion can be a huge relief. Personally, I'd rather be my imperfect, crazy, awkward self--with someone who appreciates me for all of it--than try to be perfect with someone who constantly corrects me, criticizes me, and wants me to be different than who I am. Bye-bye!

When we open ourselves up authentically to others, we may be surprised where the journey, the relation-SHIP carries us. Where has an unexpected relation-SHIP taken you? Leave me a comment and let me know!

All Aboard!
Love, 
Captain Dana

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

feeLs niCe 2 B, weLL, nICe!

This past 5 years has definitely been a time of facing my fears and choosing love over fear! Like, as in doing what's right for me (despite what other people say about it, how they judge me, and the stories they make up about mY TrUtH!)--even thought these are really stories I make up about what stories they are making up--know what I mean? (METASTORIES--you know: stories about stories!) Ha! I am not really sure why I keep worrying about others, but it keeps happening, so I must still need to work on that lesson. Thanks, You-niverse! (not ... jk . . . but I'm a bit sick and tired of it . . .).

Here's how fear has operated for me:
  • I used to try to be perfecKt so nobody would find fault with me
  • And, when people did find fault or criticize me, just deny it, or make an excuse for it, or kiss their butt enough to change their mind about how bad or wrong or stUpiD I was . . . (super InAuTheNtiC of me) . . . but it was how I survived . . . ;( BTW: I wonder why I allowed these people to hang around me in the first place when it felt like such crap). Can you relate? 
  • NOTE TO SELF: get these iCky tOXic people oUT! Send them off with loVE and comPAssIOn, but SHOW THEM THE freakin' DOOR!
  • DOUBLE NOTE TO SELF: get these iCky tOXic InnEr MEan self oUT! Send her off with loVE and comPAssIOn, but SHOW HER THE freakin' DOOR! 
Oh--wait--since this is all in my mind. . . maybe this is really about me? Hmnnn. . . .
What I'm learning, is that just 'cuz someone thinks or says something about me (even if it's ME, in my mind), doesn't mean it's automatically true! That includes the mean crappy crap I tell mEself! 

Also, I am learning to not even waste my EnergY defending mE(self) to these people (or ME) 'cuz it is drainingnot true, and the stuff people (and I) say and do to me isn't really about me, anyway.

Do you know that the way people treat and what they say @ you isn't ever really about you? It's about tHeM and who tHeY are and what stories they make up about You! Isn't that weird? 

Which means by default (scary thing to tell you, here, but I'm just being real . . .) the way yOu treat others (including yourself) is neVer about ThEm and wHo you are and WhAt storiEs you make up about them! It's all projection.

CraP on a sTicK!

My daughter was noodling (thinking) out loud in the car yesterday and she was telling me about some kids who talk "stuff" about her at camp--and she felt kinda bad. And I asked her if the stuff was true.

She said, "Nope." 

Then, I asked her this: "If someone told you your skin is purple, would you believe it?

She laughed and  said, "Of course not, 'cuz it's not true.

And I said, "Same thing. If you know it's not true, then it's not!

Then, she told me that some of the spiritual stuff I talk about is confusing for her--and, of course, I told her it's confusing to me, too! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

To be clear: setting boundaries around how others treat you is totally healthy (see above about showing them the door . . .). AS my biG bRo told me one morning (we both had recently "broken up" with some ickies in our lives and we were sharing our war stories . . . 'sup Christopher? I KNEW you'd be pleased!):

You get to be youR LOveLy seLf, BUT YOU ARE NOT A DOORMAT FOR PEOPLE TO WALK ALL OVER!

So, MEet you fears and follow your dreams, FFPps--one teeny tiny baby step at a time, and find pEaCE in what's right for you!

LoVe U to the mOOn and bacK!
;) dana

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Got SeCrEt?

ShhHhh . . . prOmiSe nOt tO TeLL?

Dear FunFree(imperfecKt)Peeps,

I have had fits of perfection off and on all my life. Still do. As a matter of fact, something about my perfectionism has recently got my attention in a BIG WAY.

BACKSTORY: Sometimes, I like to manage my emotional life by keeping all the yucky stuff to myself; for example, when I'm struggling, sad, frustrated, overwhelmed, or anxious about anything, in particular--or about LIFE, in general. So, things build up . . . DUH . . . and then my feelings and fears end up spewing in a not-so-planful or pretty fashion. Not pretty. 

And, I can't possibly get support from the people who love me if they don't know what's going on. The EGO part of me believes that it's better if people think I'm FINE and I can handle everything--like SUPERWOMAN, right?

Not.

So, I have made a commitment to myself and my loved ones to be more transparent about my TRUTH, knowing that sharing my pain or frustration does not make me needy, it does not mean I wish be rescued, and it doesn't make me a BURDEN or a VICTIM. 

It just IS.

In the past few days, I've shared a lot about the tough spot I've been in, and it has pretty scary. But I have been surprisingly relieved. 

I have felt a huge weight lifted from my heart by shedding a layer of my perfection, asking for a little time, and resting in the presence of loving friends who have listened with patience and compassion.

I am (im)perfeCktly human.

After all, amazing stuff as well as my wobbly spots are all part of what makes me, Me: Dana Lynne Curry Bradach . . . and I can't  celebrate the great stuff and hide the ISH . . . cuz' the ISH is what needs transformation and is the awesome Growing SPOT.

I need to shed light on ALL parts of me--and especially those scary wobbly parts of ME need to bask in the yummy light so they can be transform, heal, and re(a)l-ease. Get it?

Monday, June 19, 2017

Give it to YOUrself first . . .


Me! (photoshopped a bit . . .)

One thing I've noticed in my own experience and in the lives of others, is that many us tend to try to get our needs met from the outside in. For me, this has proven to be a painful pattern. What that has meant for me in the past is that I've depended on the attention and actions of others to fill the spaces inside of me. What I learned to do was to either camouflage myself or turn into a chameleon--so I became what I thought others would approve of, like, or accept; this was how I maintained the illusion that I could control others, and this is how I lost sight of myself over and over in relationships. I gave up core parts of myself until there was seemingly nothing left of the real me--in me

As I write that, it sounds altogether miserable, and it truly is.  

Thing is, I didn't know any better until my recent past--I just didn't get that the only way I can fill myself up is with a loving relationship with myself and with my God

It's funny and strange to "awaken" in my mid-forties only to realize that one of my highest callings in this lifetime is to just be myself, to love myself, and to just be. This has called for some revolutionary changes on my part, and putting myself first has been the most transformational but also the most difficult, especially since I have put others before me for much of my life. This kind of giving, although I didn't know it at the time, was actually motivated by my need for others to need me, like me, approve of me, and depend on me---AND it's not healthy for anyone. But I didn't know . . .

It truly was not in my developmental capacity--until recently. But now I do know, and it's such a relief; the pressure's finally off, with no apologies (although I have had some guilt from time to time about putting myself first).

One of my mentor's once told me that I am the one who can meet my needs with amazing self-care, and I have found that to be so true. That doesn't mean I don't need other people, or that I can live independently, free from relationships. On the contrary! It actually means that my relationship with myself comes first, and then I can freely give to others from my heart with no expectations and with strings attached. One result is that my connections with others have deepened as a result of connecting with my own spirit.

How do connecting with yourself and Spirit deepen your relationships? Share your experience in the blog comments!

Lots of Love!
Dana

Sunday, June 18, 2017

tHe tIMe Is nOw! bReaThE!

Breathe


A lot of times, when i'm actually doing something, i'm not really paying attention--like, my mind is elsewhere (like, worrying about the past or the future, of course)and my body is going through the motions of life. sometimes i catch myself watching me (myself, as in, dana) in my own personal movie . . . i'm doing stuff but my mind is totally checked out. . . this bad habit kind of robs me cuz i'm not actually experiencing life--in front of me which is a huge gift!

Go(o)D NeWs: we can choose our habits of thought---and, we can replace old junk that doesn't work anymore, with new and improved habits that make life even mOrE aMaZing!

So HOW do we beComE more pReSent? Here are a few iDeAs:

  • breathe--and pay attention while you do it . . .
  • be in nature--notice our amazing world is!
  • play with kids, animals, and babies--they make you stay in the now!
  • do what you love and live your passion! 
  • try meditating . . . it really calms your mind. 

Have a beautiful day, and remember to 
B     r     e     a     t     h     e !

Lots Of Hugs!
;) dana

Saturday, June 17, 2017

We have a new baby girl!

Tallulah (LuLu) Rose Bradach III
06.17.17.

I remember having human babies. 

When they came home from the hospital to get accustomed to their new surroundings with all their blankies and baby gear.

And time stops.

It goes slow. And we stay up late to watch them sleep, burp, yawn, coo, poop, look around, and breast feed (don't worry, I'm not breast feeding my dog, LOL!).

Those first few weeks feel holy--like slow, time-stop motion, moment-to-moment presence.

And that's what last night felt like. 

Even though LuLu slept most of the time, our whole family--Me, Keith, my two stepdaughters Emily and Katie, and my own two kids, Max and Chloe--plus Teddy, our 2-year old Cavapoo--gathered in the living room and hung out with our new family member. 

Awe-inspiring, to say the least.

What an honor, and so exciting.

Life is so, so Go(o)d.

Friday, June 16, 2017

aCCePt it! (pOOp & ) aLL . . .

dEar fUnFrEE pEE(ps) and poOp(S) and pUps!

I played with two of the yummiest sdoG:Gods one summer! Cody--a super chunky monkey Golden Retriever--and his little sister, Ginger--a spunky thang who was gnawing on my hands (and Cody's tail and ears!) throughout the night! What was so interesting was that when Ginger was "playing" with Cody, it was super clear when Cody'd had enough--he put the total squash on her and pawed her in the face (then it would start over, of course. . .)!

I totally believe that dogs are in our lives for a reason--they are SUCH a metaphor for life! Well, I suppose all animals are, but dog is god spelled backwards, SO THERE!

AnY-hOo---the Pooper Scooper Factor reminds us that with the yummy, amazing stuff of life . . . comes, well, the SH!+ ! You know, the total cRaP-oLalalalala!?

And it's really okay . . . cuz without the dark, we wouldn't know the light (and vice-versa). And we can't appreciate awesome stuff, if we never experience hardship or pain. It's all part of the jOurNeY, yO.

aNd . . . it's part of the great balance of life and growth. 

And really, sometimes, when we are in the total depths of the crap-ola---we know it can only get better . . . (and ain't that a relief?)

LeSsOn LeArNed: pOoP is pArT of LiFe . . . & everyone dOeS it! Why fight it?

HeArTs!--
d-to-the-D-dog

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Trust the Timing of the Universe


“Even when you think you have your life all mapped out

things happen that shape your destiny

in ways you might never have imagined. ”


hEy aLL!

One thing that has been getting my attention lately is the fact that THINGS ARE NOT ON MY TIMELINE . . . (huh? I thought I was in cOnTrOL . . . not). I mean, I can have the best plans for any particular day, and then shIzzLe happens and what I thought my day was going to look like tOtaLLy changes@!!$%^

But that’s okay . . . I’ve learned to go with it . . . well, most of the time . . .

What’s nOt oKaY and what makes me absolutely mIserAbLe, is when I can’t go with the flow. In other words, I can’t be mAd at LiFe for not happening MY WAY (or the highway . . .) —which brings me back to . . .

LeTTinG Go . . .
gOiNg with tHe fLoW of mY beAutY-FULL LiFe
and LeTTinG Go(d)
(or the Universe)
be in charge

sToRy oPPorTunitY: One day two summers ago was going to be pretty complicated. I was supposed to have a meeting, pay bills, go to the doctor, bLaH.BlAH. bLaH! --and when I started feeling overwhelmed, I cancelled an appointment at 1:00 at my school so I could get some breathing room and hang with my kids. Well, in the morning my kids reminded me that they were going to help me set up my classroom anyway, (I teach 8th grade English - - -YeaH!). So, we headed to school.

Well, about a mile from my school, my engine light went on and my car jerked suddenly. My kids were freaking out, (and so was I . . . but they didn't know it, 'cuz I'm the grown up, right? and I can fake it . . .). I know that my oil change light started going on a couple of days ago, but I was secretly kind of ignoring it until my kids were with their dad (I don't like to run errands when I have my kids). Another thing that mad me anxious is that I didn't want to be late for dropping off my kids at their dad's (I hAte being Late!).

A few blocks away was an oil change station, and it happened to be three blocks from my school also, so I drove (heart beating . . . well, POUNDING!) into the station and told the guys that my light went on, and I needed an oil change.

Guess what! They were super nice, told me they would change the oil and do a diagnostic on my car and call me when they were done. Meanwhile, we walked to my school, set up my classroom, and I even got to meet my teaching partner for a few minutes!

So, here's what I was reminded of: The timing of the Universe is much better than mine. Here's why (note secret gratitude list that I actually said out loud in front of my kids):
  • My light went on at the perfect time--
  • not when I was traveling hundreds of miles last weekend
  • not on the highway this morning
  • but thankfully 1/2 mile from my school-
  • I could take care of the oil change and get my schoolwork done
  • I could walk to school with my kids
  • I was able to meet with my teaching partner--aWeSomE!
  • I was able to role model gratitude with my kids!
  • My kiddos got to their dad's in time for lunch! Yeah! 
Funny thing--I actually would have been SUPER SMART to plan it JUST THE WAY IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED . . . but guess what? The timing still worked out perfectly without me being in charge of it! Thanks Universe!

WheW! I'm gonna stop working so hard . . .


HeArts to yOu!

SuPer LuCky giRl (aka dana)

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

heLLo . . . & gO(o)d . . . bYe . . .



Whether obvious or not, and usually it's not,
everyone in your life is there to help you,
AND, they're actually doing so right now.

We call this the
Everyone In Your Life Is There To Help You Rule.

Tallyho,
The Universe

Which, incidentally, doesn't mean you have to keep them there.
In fact, their offering may simply be to teach you to say "adios."

Hello!

Looking back at my life, I can see how every person I've met and each relationship in my life has taught me very much--and, if I trust the Universe, I know these relationships were sent to me intentionally for my benefit. For me, this means feeling gratitude for the amazing people I know and (and this is harder for me to wrap my brain around) for the difficult people and relationships in my life, too.

Just like my message from the Universe says--sometimes, people are sent to us in relationship to help us learn what we don't want, what we will no longer tolerate, or what no longer serves our highest good. In other words, sometimes characters arrive for us so we can learn boundaries, . . . and eventually how to detach with love and say Go(o)dbye, or adios

Sometimes it doesn't take too long to say hello & goodbye . . . and sometimes, we may hang on trying to make things work for years, while on the inside we are already saying goodbye 'cuz we're so lonely . . . we grieve alone quietly while we are still physically in the relationship . . . in which case our goodbyes can take years, even decades.

But that's okay, too. We say goodbye when we are ready. It's all perfect timing.

Thankfully, we can turn away from those relationships that no longer fit, and continue on our journey with gratitude, knowing that even the tough ones have been our best teachers. 

Saying goodbye takes courage, and faith, and and a deep inner knowing that all is well and will continue to be well. When we say goodbye, we open up an amazing space of possibilities for all the great stuff to arrive! We can continue to do our best and stay in our integrity--with the help of our faithful friends, and the Universe behind us.

Go(o)dbye! 
Lots of Love ;)
Dana

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

yOu hAve 3 cHoiCes . . .


You have three choices: 
keep on fighting,
ignore each other,
or make up and be friends.
--John Knoblauch

Once there were four sixth-graders - two boys and two girls - who started to fight even though they'd been friends for years. One morning at the bus stop, the boys started playing keep-away with the girls' shoes and wouldn't give them back. One of the mothers called the school.

Later that day, the counselor called them in and asked them what the fight was all about. They said they didn't really know.

"Well," said the counselor, "it doesn't really matter why you started fighting. Right now, you've got three choices: keep on fighting, ignore each other, or make up."

The group chose to ignore each other after discussing it among themselves. They were happy to be able to stop fighting. About the time of winter vacation, they decided to be friends again.

What conflicts can I resolve by letting them be? 



Today's Gift © 1985, 1991 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. 

I stumbled upon this story a few weeks back, and it really caught my attention for a couple of reasons. Since I'm a teacher, one of the things it reminded me of is how so many kids actually love drama! I mean, they pick fights and bug each other to keep the drama going, even when they really don't know what they're fighting about anymore.

Which reminds me, of, well . . . me (of course). I've done the same thing. I keep allowing others to bug me (in the past or the present), even when they're not really doing anything to bug me anymore. Or, I interpret their actions based on their past actions, and assume they're trying to bug me just because they have irritated me in the past.

How often do you keep fighting, even though there isn't anything to fight about anymore? What "fight" no longer serves you? What "fight" can you ignore, or simply let go of today?

Just sayin'--
Lots of love!
Dana

Monday, June 12, 2017

Hmnnnn . . . that's a number . . .

06.12.17.
The Number

I had a synchronous event a month ago when I was picking up my dog Teddy from getting a furcut. A woman beside me was also picking up her dog, and she had her hoodie on inside out. Because I am true to my women-folk, I told her about it because it was something I myself would do, and because I would want someone--even a stranger--to tell me.

She laughed, and shared that she had just moved her family here and was in the middle of unpacking, and that she had picked it up off the floor and just put it on before rushing out the door to pick up her rather large pup.

I admitted that I, myself, had slept in my outfit, and we began to chat more as we walked outside.

No coincidence that we are both bloggers, and each of us in our own way blog about spirituality, and the human condition.

And she lives about 2 miles from me. Her name is Sheila Qualls and she has an amazing story. Read about it at SheilaQualls.com.

Hello new friend! Welcome to my tribe!

Anyway, as I read her blog this morning about weight, it resonated with a conversation I had almost 30 minutes earlier with one of my besties, Alana. Here's the backstory:

I had back surgery last fall and was down for about three months after experiencing severe sciatica to the point where I had been crawling around the house last summer for almost 4 months--I literally could barely walk. It was a huge blessing, but also entailed a huge recovery, and I missed my job as a teacher so so much.

Long story short, I have put on almost 20 pounds since my surgery.

There. I said it.

And my body feels weird and foreign (but thank you, God, pain free). That's the gratitude. Anyway, I finally weighed myself this morning, and even though I have lost about 5 pounds, when I was talking to my friend Alana, I shared the number with her almost like I was going to confession--with shame, and an expectation that I would be in the doghouse (don't know from whom . . .).

Shame is interesting.

But when I shared the honest number with her, she said, "Hmnnn . . . that's a number . . .". And that was it.

WHAT THE HE(LL)CK?

And she then was the most supportive and beautiful friend I have ever experienced. Love you, girl!

About a half an hour later, Sheila's blog showed up in my mailbox. Read here: Sheila Qualls. It's a blog about women, weight, the media, and shame.

Coincidence? I think not.

Can't wait to walk our dogs together tomorrow and deconstruct. What a gift! I am so grateful.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

prACTice (gr)ATTITUDE! . . . it's an attitude . . .


Gratitude is the
single most important ingredient
to living a successful and fulfilled life.
--Jack Canfield, co-creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series

I know from experience that when when I focus on and am thankful for the good stuff I already have, I send out amazing positive energy that can bring  MORE of the good stuff BTW . . . it works the same for being negative . . . Have you ever been around a bunch of complainers and jumped in and started whining along with them? And then you can feel your frequency drop like a lead balloon?

ENERGY (positive or negative) GOES VIRAL

We all know that getting better at something (like being grateFULL) takes prACTice (NOTE: prACTice has the word ACT in it!!).

So how do we do it? I have a couple of ideas for you, but BEWARE: they take ACTion.

oNe iDeA: I personally like to write (duh . . .), so I keep a journal where I list things I am grateful for at the end of the day. That way, I end my day on a positive note, and I actually think I sleep better!  

aNothEr IdEa: (pinecone story alert) there was a time in my life when I felt like noTHING was working . . . my job, my family life, my relationships (mostly with myself, aka funfreeMe NOT, but also with other people). 

So, I started running (and running ... and running ... and running ... you know what I mean! ... cuz that's what we do, right? ....... we RuN ........... and fast!)

I happened to be running on a golf course one day and looked down and saw a pinecone. For some reason, I picked it up; this is how the Universe gets our attention sometimes. I sat on a bench that overlooked the entire golf course, ready to collapse into a pile of misery.

Then, for some reason, I decided to start counting my blessings. I had the pinecone in my hand, and I pulled off every tine (the hard prickly thingies that stick out on pinecones), and for each one, I thought of something I was grateful for. I sat there for over and hour, and by the time I was done, I felt sOsooooSo much better.

My energy changed from me feeling like crap to feeling, well, BLESSED. On this day I began to count my blessings . . . and this began my love affair with pinecones. More later . . .

Have a beautiful day! 
Dana


Friday, June 9, 2017

I have exactly what I need!

Hey there!
 This blog may be a bit weird because I am writing it from my phone for the very first time. I wanted to share something that happened  to me this morning, and it has to do with synchronicity.
I was at the post office with my daughter sending some letters and a package and I wanted to get rid of my change along with a couple of dollar bills and so I took out $2 and emptied out my little change purse and the woman told me I owed $4.17. I dug around in my change counted out the dollars I had exactly the correct amount of money that I needed . . .  $4.17! I couldn't believe it and it was just a reminder that I have exactly what I need at every moment.
What a wonderful synchronous reminder that the Universe has my back!

Thursday, June 8, 2017

fLy bAbY, fLY!



Even before it has learned to fly; a baby bird is pushed from its nest.
It will totter upon the ground, stubby wings outstretched from its body,
following the guiding cries of its parents to flap its wings and take flight.

When we were young, our wings hadn't even developed
before we began tottering through life.
We may have received little direction about how to fly.
As we grew, we may have built a nest and retreated within it,
still not knowing how to fly.
Although our wings have not been used, we can still learn to fly.
There are those who can teach us . . . 
They, too, have had to learn to fly after years of nest sitting.
It isn't easy at first. In fact, it may be quite painful and tiring.
But by trying out our wings every day, they will grow stronger and more familiar to us.
Our nest will always be there, but we won't have to visit it as often.
We'll be too busy flying and testing our wings.
I can begin to learn the freedom of flight and trust my wings.



hELLo dEaR oNes-

When I read the passage above about birds, I was reminded that we all try to fly in our own ways with the best of what we've got--but all birds are different, and they each learn to fly--in their own unique amazing and sometimes awkward birdlike manners! 
I'm beginning to understand that whenever I try to fly, I am also doing my best--even though it might be pretty darn clunky and uncoordinated at times.

Flying can be anything--trying a new behavior, practicing acceptance, communicating effectively, setting boundaries, creating intentions, or letting go and just trusting in the Universe.

I'm learning how to be kind and gentle to myself, and take baby steps as I leave my nest . . . and know there are others to guide and support me as I take flight. I am also reminded to offer the same courtesy to others as they try out their wings.

We each have our own journeys and unique destinations--I think I'll focus mostly on my own . . .

Tweet Tweet! (peacock for "lots of love")--
DaNa