Embrace Your Gifts and Soar!

Today's Unexpected Angel Appearance

 

At this stage in my life, it is risky to go to the grocery store without a shopping list. I tend to forget what I want as soon as I walk into the store. Today, my list was so short that I was certain I could rely on my memory.

As I began scanning my items at the self check-out line, one of the attendants looked at me and said, “You know, those are dangerous. Very addictive!” She had spotted the Brownie Bites I picked up for tomorrow's guests. I agreed with her and we continued to enthusiastically sing praises for the Brownie Bites. Just when our love fest for Brownie Bites seemed to be coming to a close, the young woman said, “They are just like Pringles, you can't eat just one!”

My reply was not what she expected.

“Pringles! Oh my gosh, I forgot to get Pringles. I meant to get Pringles! I can't believe I forgot! I can't believe you just said Pringles! I really need to get some Pringles!” We both laughed and she said, “Go get them. I'll watch your cart.” As I scurried toward the chip aisle, I was in awe over the small miracle that had just occurred. If this woman had not been so joyful and playful with me, I would be making another trip to the grocery store for the sake of adding Pringles to tomorrow's menu.

As I thanked the woman one last time before walking out the door of the grocery store, I was still in awe of the way that that I had been reminded to buy the one item that I had almost forgotten. Such a small thing and yet a powerful reminder that the universe is eager to help us out. The more we believe this, the more evidence we can gather to prove that this is so. (Even with something as trivial as a shopping list!)

Sending gratitude for the joyful angel that appeared along my path today.

Beverly

Bookend Your Day

 

Imagine books on a shelf. Without bookends, they will most likely

• Fall over

• Look messy

• Become unorganized

• Fall to the ground

• Lack support

• Lose their connection with the other books

• Get lost

• Seem neglected

• Look shuffled

I guess from this we can conclude that bookends are important!

So, here is a question for you. How do you bookend your day?

My opening bookend is usually prayer and/or a long walk. My closing bookend is often a moment of gratitude for all that is good in my life. When I'm really on the ball, I write in my gratitude journal to close out my day.

There are many ways that bookends can appear in your daily life. I'd love to know how you bookend your days. What are the routines, rituals, activities or empowering habits that help you open and close your day?  How do these acts make a difference in your life?

Beverly

PS: I took the above photo while walking one morning!

Living in the Positive Possibility Zone

I'm sitting in a chair that faces a large, colorful poster that shows various pictures of the thyroid gland. I listen to the doctor in the examining room quiz my mom about her symptoms as they discuss changing the dosage of her thyroid medicine. The doctor wears a crisp white coat decorated with his name on the front pocket. It screams, "I am an expert on thyroids!" 

Suddenly, this doctor turns to me and says, "How old are you?" I wonder why I am now on the hot seat as I tell him I am 46 years old. His next statement shifts me into an invisible, defeated pose. "There's a 50/50 chance that you will also have problems with your thyroid!" I feel my energy drop until it hits the ground. Without missing a beat, my mom winks at me and says, "and there's a 50/50 chance that you will not have any thyroid problems at all!" My energy instantly rebounds.

Can you guess which possibility I'm stepping into? Yep, I'm hanging out in the Positive Possibility Zone. Thanks Mom! You held the door to a positive possibility wide open for me that day,

What reminds to you choose positive possibilities?  

Blessings!

Beverly

Growing Green

 

My sister-in-law is the greenest person I know. Quite frankly, Mendy is so green that her passion for green ways can sometimes be annoying. When I look beyond the part of me that gets annoyed, I see how grateful I am to her for teaching me how to easily make minor changes in my lifestyle that serve the well-being of our planet.

Thanks to Mendy’s commitment and consistent modeling, I’ve leaned a few easy ways to be green. Even though my green actions are simple and minor, it’s a start. The way I see it, starting is better than doing nothing. Besides, I've got four nephews to think about. I want all of them to have the natural resources that I have enjoyed while living on this earth. (Pictured above is Mendy's son, my youngest nephew, Parker Smith.)

Here's a few of my Green ways.

1.I drive a Toyota Prius. This hybrid car puts less pollution in the air and uses less fuel. This was my first conscious effort to make a big choice that promotes the well-being of the earth. My husband and I have shared this car for two years now and it feels good to know that in a small way, we’ve cut down on the amount of pollution we are putting into the air while saving gasoline too.

2. I turn off the water when I’m not using it. Duh! I know this sounds like a no brainer but when I really started paying attention, I realized I was using a lot of water needlessly. Washing dishes and brushing my teeth are two daily places to be mindful of water usage. Also, I’ve shortened the amount of time I stay in the shower.

3. I use a hand towel in the kitchen. I admit, I love paper towels! They are clean, convenient and at my fingertips when I’m in the kitchen. However, it was very wasteful to use a paper towel every time I wanted to dry my hands! I bought a small towel rack and put it on the cabinet door under the sink. Now my hand towel is hanging in a convenient spot and I use it daily.

4. I politely decline bags for my purchases. If the item is small, I drop it in my oversized purse or just carry it around without a bag. If I am going to the grocery store, I bring my own canvas bags. (Yes, Mendy bought these for us!) I have to tell you, using canvas bags is so much better than using those small plastic bags from the store. The canvas bags hold more and they fit in the shopping cart so nicely. Also, I have fewer bags to manage and there is not a big pile of plastic bags to deal with once the I’ve unloaded the groceries. Plus, I never have to worry about a canvas bag breaking. (Thank you Mendy!)

5. I recycle. I have a plastic garbage can in my pantry which I use for the garbage that is recyclable. Every Wednesday I fill up my recycle bin and take it to the street where it is picked up by the city I live in. For this, I am grateful!

6. I recycle the plastic bags that do make it into my house. I take them to our local co-op or I use them for kitty litter disposal. When the plastic bags find a way into my house, I like knowing that they will get a second life instead of immediately going to a landfill where they would pollute our planet.

7. I am buying less bottled water. We are running the tap water through a water distiller. This cuts down on the amount of plastic we send to the landfills.

8. I do my best to be positive. Negative thoughts contribute to the pollution of the earth. I realize that my thoughts have an impact on me, my surroundings and beyond. The more I can generate positive and kind thoughts inside my head, the more they will sprinkle well-being into the environment.

When I was a student at Millsaps College, my sociology teacher, Alan Scarboro, was fond of saying, "if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." I heard that statement from him many times and I believe it’s true. I notice that I feel so good about the tiny steps I’m taking to be green because it shifts me into feeling as if I am part of the solution. I step away from being fearful about the future of our planet and into a place of believing that all of us can change our ways and adjust to the needs of our planet.

I’d love to know if you have made changes in your lifestyle that cater to the well-being of our environment. Please share your suggestions for going green by leaving a comment. I know I’ve only just begun and I’d love to learn more from you!

Blessings!

Beverly

Mendy and Parker

Christmas 2008

Word Up (2009)

 

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not really sure what "word up" means. I do know that it is the title to a fun song made popular by Cameo. I like to listen to it because it makes me want to dance and sing. Yes, I'm know I'm dating myself here because it is an old song. Even so, for some strange reason, this song is playing in my mind right now.

Perhaps I'm thinking about words in general since this is the time of year when I create a theme for the new year. LOVE was my theme for 2008 and it was amazing to see all the different ways that love kept showing up in surprising ways. I began to realize just how significant the whole idea of words and themes can be. (Basically, creating a theme is another way to say "setting an intention.")

So, here I sit with a blank slate in front of me. I've tried on several words to see which one feels right for this year. That's the thing about choosing a theme. Much like shopping for a new a pair of shoes, you can try it on to see how it fits. If you don't like it, you can toss it away and keep searching for that perfect fit.

The word I'm currently leaning toward is BLOOM. There are several things I want to BLOOM into this year. I want to bloom as a creative person, writer, leader, business woman, friend and colleague. I am determined to shine brightly this year. Mmmmm, perhaps I might change my theme to shine? or maybe sparkle?

No, I'm sticking with bloom. There's an energy around the word bloom that feels good to me. I like the connection to the earth and the sense of groundedness that surrounds the word bloom. The only thing I don't like about BLOOM is that is singular so I'm going to change my theme to BLOOMS. That way I can incorporate abundance and unlimited possibilities into my new year's theme.

There are a few more words that will accompany the word BLOOMS as my theme for 2009 evolves. I'm going to take the other words on a test drive before I write about them. 

Have you thought about a theme for 2009? What word or words fit the person you want to be in 2009? or as Cameo would sing, "Come on baby tell me what’s the word."

Happy Intention Setting! (For more on creating yearly themes, see Setting Your Theme for 2007.)

Blessings!

Beverly

Releasing the 'Old and Unwanted'

Once upon a time, my husband and I purchased an Elliptical machine to help us get in shape. We proudly set it up in our sunroom and vowed to use it regularly. Sadly, it just did not happen. My husband and I both lost the vigor that led us to shell out quite a bit of money for something that seemed like a great idea at the time.

Every time I caught a glimpse of the lonely Elliptical machine, I felt a tinge of guilt shoot through my heart. What a waste. I comforted myself by thinking, "I'll start using it....later." Of course, later never came and the constant reminder of failure continued to stare me in the face day after day.

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore so about a month ago, Greg and I carted the Elliptical machine out to the carport before listing it on Craigslist.com. Yesterday when I watched the starry eyed, young couple drive away with the Elliptical in the back of their truck, I felt a surge of relief rush into my mind, body and spirit. 

Out, Out, Out with the Old and Unwanted!

It feels so good to release things, thoughts, people or places that no longer serve the person you want to be. One of the great things about January is that it is full of energy that screams "I'm making a fresh start!" Sometimes in order to make that fresh start, it is necessary to let go of something that is simply not working for you anymore. The feeling of liberation that comes from doing this is absolutely thrilling!

What might you let go of? What's hindering you? How do you release it and make more room in your life for what you truly want this year?

Happy 2009! May it be your best year ever!

Blessings,

Beverly

A True Halloween Story About Compassion

It's Halloween night and I am trick-or-treating with my friend Becky. Around 9:00 p.m. my plastic jack-o-lantern begins to overflow with candy. Feeling satisfied with our efforts, Becky and I start walking toward our homes. That's when Alex suddenly appears.

 

Alex casually starts talking to us and then, without warning, he grabs the black strap on my plastic jack-o-lantern and tries to steal my candy. I tighten my grip and enter into a serious tug of war position with Alex. I will not lose my candy!

 

The strap breaks and some of the candy spills onto the street. Alex watches the candy fall but I never take my eyes off of Alex. While he is momentarily distracted, I clinch my fingers onto the plastic edge of the jack-o-lantern and continue to pull the candy toward me. Alex quickly follows suit. The plastic cuts into my fingers but I do not care. I know I am going to win. I will not have it any other way.

 

We continue our tug of war with the jack-o-lantern. I stare into Alex's eyes. My thoughts swirl with determination to defeat him. Maybe he can read my mind because suddenly he lets go of the jack-o-lantern. I stumble a bit before I regain my balance. Alex picks up some of the candy from the street and runs away. I assume my troubles are over so I proudly boast about my victory to Becky.

 

As Becky and I continue our walk home, we are engrossed in conversation so I never see it coming. I sure do feel it though.

 

Something strikes me on my back, close to the back of my heart, and knocks my breath out of me. As I turn around to see what struck me, I see Alex running into the darkness once again. As I watch Alex get smaller and smaller, I can't move. That's when it happens. 

  
I feel every bit of Alex's anger, frustration, loneliness and pain. It is so strong that I can hardly breathe. I watch Alex until he disappears into the darkness once again but this time, a part of him stays with me. The part that told me, "I'm hurting."

 

As I feel the pain that Alex is carrying inside of his heart, I become filled with compassion for him. I am determined that I will not add to his pain. I will not talk about this evening. I will not brag about winning. I will not participate in anything that harms Alex, who is frequently the victim of school bullies and ridicule from classmates.

 

The next morning, I get on the school bus that takes me to my 5th grade class across town. I see Alex sitting in a seat, alone. I smile at him before I sit down with some friends. He seems surprised but he smiles back. This exchange between us lifts me up and even though I don't realize it, seeds of love and compassion have been strongly planted into my heart through my encounter with Alex.

 

Alex died before the age of twenty. Where ever you are Alex, I thank you for being one of my best teachers. I hope you are munching on a bunch of sweet candy that has washed all of your pain away. RIP.

 

Beverly Keaton Smith

all rights reserved; 2008

Making Big Decisions

 

Upon returning home one day, we pulled into our long driveway, as we always do when we’ve been out and about. From out of nowhere, a squirrel darted into our path. Greg slammed on the brakes and we waited for the squirrel to get out of our way. The squirrel seemed to be in quite a dilemma. He turned to the right, to the left, to the right, to the left and then toward our car. The poor thing didn’t know what to do after unexpectedly seeing a big blue car rolling toward him. Finally, he darted off to the right and went on his merry way.

Greg and I laughed about the squirrel’s inability to make a quick decision. We easily identified with feeling immobilized by an abundance of possibilities. Who hasn’t stood at the fork in the road at some point along the way and wondered "What's next?" While we can follow the lead of Robert Frost and automatically take the road less traveled, sometimes it is necessary to deeply ponder big decisions 

Recently, I encountered a couple of forks in the road along my path. As I hung out in contemplation for awhile, I thought about the process of making big decisions. How do you know if you are making the right choice? What supports you in making the right decision? I turned to a few wise women with these questions and here is what they had to say.

Before I make big decisions in my life, I weigh the pros and cons. It's easier for me to make a decision if that only affects me. However, in most cases, there are other people in my life that must be considered. So my choices have been made with them in mind. Many would call that settling. I don't. It truly makes me happy if other people around me are happy. ~Jan

After I carefully consider my options, if I am not wholeheartedly committed to making a decision, and can delay taking action, I take the time to reach the confidence level necessary before I act. However, if I must act hurriedly, I cling to the decision that wraps itself most tightly around my gut and leap!!! ~Debi

I wait at least 24 hours before deciding anything. For big things I have several processes. I consult friends and people I know less well, or sometimes, complete strangers. Sometimes I'll just pick an odd number, like 11, and ask that many people. Then I'll examine the majority vote and see how my gut feels about that. ~J.

I took this as one of my other processes. The omen. I believe if we really choose to heighten our senses about something, we are given signs. Then there's always the putting the options in a hat and pulling one.  I do this a lot. It's telling in that I read my initial reaction when the "answer" is first revealed. If I'm doing the big internal YAY...then that has to be the right thing. If I begin negotiating with myself for "best 2 out of 3" then maybe I don't really want what I initially pulled after all. ~J.

Also, I will write out the issue in brief and then I'll mail it to myself. This makes certain I don't act too quickly about the issue, and again, my reaction in the opening of that envelope after a couple of days tells me a LOT. I'll either feel like "Yeah...this belongs to me" or "What the HECK were you thinking?" ~J.

I try to wrangle my way through as much of the thought process as possible before I discuss it with significant others. If the decision is something which will not impact anyone else in my family, I weigh my choices and go with my gut instinct. Some things I discuss with my siblings or mom. Other topics I may explore with one of two very close friends, both of whom are bright, realistic and rational, and do not jump into things lightly. This balances my occasionally impulsive side. ~Andi

I pray about these decisions....and I REALLY try to hear what God is trying to tell me about the big decisions. Of course, He works in His own time, and sometimes that doesn't help us much, or at least in that moment. But when one thinks about it, maybe us not getting an answer right away is an answer in a sense. ~Cher

I pay attention to what I am feeling in my body as I think or talk about a big decision. If my stomach starts hurting or if I begin to feel too overwhelmed, I've got a good clue about the direction that is best for me. There have been times when I really wanted to go in one direction but my body made it very clear that it was not my path. ~Beverly

One of the common themes I hear in the above responses is to follow your gut! Take the time to carefully weigh the pros and cons and pay attention to the signals your inner guidance is sending you. Above all else, the heart does not lie.

How do you make big decisions? 

Blessings!

Beverly

PS: Doesn't this bench at Hammonasset Beach in Madison, Connecticut look like a great place to sit and reflect upon a big decision? Photo taken by Beverly Keaton Smith, September 2008.

Making it a Rainbow Day

 This small hand painted tile hangs in a spot where I see it all of the time. I like the idea of painting my own rainbows. This means I don't have to wait for fate to majestically place one within my view...and of course, I love that too!

Here are 10 ways that I paint rainbows for myself.

• Go to Youtube and watch my sister, Becky Phillips sing from her heart.
• Connect with animals. plants, nature and people.
• Create win-wins.
• Take naps
• Pray
• Write
• Dance
• Count my blessings and practice gratitude.
• Travel
• Dream Big

How do you paint rainbows for yourself?

Blessings to you,

Beverly

A Butterfly or a Bra (or a ........)

The sand hugs my toes as I walk along the shore of the beach. I notice a young boy playing in the surf. He is full of aliveness and spunk, unlike the grandfatherly man who is with him. The boy gives his head a sharp turn to shake stringy, wet hair from his eyes as he holds a small open shell up in the air so his grandfather can see it. "When shells are open like this, they look like a butterfly or a bra."

The boy's conclusion seems to fall upon deaf ears so he adds more enthusiasm into his voice as he repeats himself. "WHEN SHELLS ARE OPEN LIKE THIS, THEY LOOK LIKE A BUTTERFLY OR A BRA!" His words are still ignored so he turns toward the ocean, tosses the shell into the water and looks at the horizon as if it is speaking to him.

I resist my temptation to run up to the boy and scream out,"What else does your imagination call forth? You've thought of two great possibilities! Now, what else does an open shell look like?"  But, the moment is lost and the window of opportunity closes as I decide to quietly continue my solitary walk along the shore.

As the boy and his grandfather disappear from my view, I enter a contemplative mood around the subject of imagination and options. It is empowering to search for several possibilities in any given situation. Limited thinking and smaller outcomes are often generated from the "either/or" and the "this or that" approach. Who wants that? There's always at least three or more options in any situation. The best way to make a well-informed choice or to get the most desirable result is to explore as many possibilities as possible. Instead of getting stuck in "black or white" thinking, search for other colors too.

So, what do you see in the photo above....besides a butterfly or a bra? (there are no wrong answers!)

 Blessings!

Beverly