JOURNALING GEMS & TRANSITION
I'm turning 51 in the 8th (yes, I'm a Scorpio if you don't already know!). Lots of time to reflect. Seventeen years ago, I was preparing for a Rotary Foundation Group Study Exchange (GSE) to eastern
Germany in October of 1991. I was living in Houston with my spouse at the time. I started journaling a lot. In the previous seven years of marriage, I hardly wrote at all. I was beginning to understand that I wanted a
divorce and writing helped me clear my mind as I was capturing my thoughts, realizations, and emotions.
Upon returning from my amazing month with the GSE, I announced my intentions to divorce. I didn't stick around to see it through though; I actually moved to eastern Germany and got an
excellent job working for the German government (with only 40 hours' worth of German language instruction!). I end ed up getting my final divorce decree
by mail in May 1992. Essentially, I got divorced in absentia.
I had filled 32 journals during this 3 year period. Interestingly enough, I had
only filled 36 journals in a 24 year period, between 1977 and 1991! Talk about liberating! When I returned to the US on July 4, 1992 (how appropriate!), I decided to type a
selection from each of my journals and titled the
document the "The Lady with the Red Hat."*
Today, I was glancing through my Red Hat manuscript to see which gems were especially useful during that particular time of transition and transformation. I was reminded how incredibly powerful "A Warrior's Creed" was for me, which follows.
A Warrior's Creed
ˇ I have no parents: I make the heavens and earth my parents.
ˇ I have no home: I make awareness my home.
ˇ I have no life or death: I make the tides of breathing my life and death.
ˇ I have no divine power: I make honesty my divine power.
ˇ I have no means: I make understanding my means.
ˇ I have no magic secrets: I make character my magic secret.
ˇ I have no body: I make endurance my body.
ˇ I have no eyes: I make the flash of lightning my eyes.
ˇ I have no ears: I make sensibility my ears.
ˇ I have no limbs: I make promptness my limbs
ˇ I have no strategy: I make 'unshadowed by thought' my strategy.
ˇ I have no designs: I make 'seizing opportunity by the forelock' my design.
ˇ I have no miracles: I make right action my miracle.
ˇ I have no principles: I make adaptability to all circumstances my principles.
ˇ I have no tactics: I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.
ˇ I have no talents: I make ready wit my talent.
ˇ I have no friends: I make my mind my friend.
ˇ I have no enemy: I make carelessness my enemy.
ˇ I have no armor: I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.
ˇ I have no castle: I make immovable-mind my castle.
ˇ I have no sword: I make absence of self my sword.
--Fourteenth century Samurai
And another powerful statement by Ellen Goodman entitled "The Graceful Exit":
There is a trick to the graceful exit.It begins with the vision to recognize when a job,a lifestyle, a relationship is over, and to let go.It means leaving what's over without denying itsvalidity or its past importance in our lives.It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exitline is an entry, that we are moving on rather than out.The trick of retiring well may be the trick of living well.It's hard to recognize that life isn't a holding actionbut a process.
It's hard to learn that we don't leave the best parts ofourselves behind, back in the dugout or the office.We OWN what we learned back there;the experience and the growth are grafted into our lives.
And when we exit, we can take ourselves along,quiet gracefully.
*EBOOK PURCHASING INFO: If you would like an eBook version of "The Lady with the Red Hat," please contact Verena@VibrantCoach.com. Cost: $15.00 US payable by Paypal or check.
Photo (top right): 1992 Michael Schhardt, Makeup Artist, Opern Palais (Opera), Berlin, and Verena, Berlin
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 Are YOU enjoying a Vibrant Life
Rich with Vibrant Visions and Color?
How
great would it be if you were to give yourself the gift of your most
cherished vision? Or the gift of beautifully handling your biggest
challenge or transition?
Imagine giving yourself permimssion to
enjoy a full year to discover, explore, experiment, brainstorm, and
create brilliant connections, relationships, pathways or strategies?
Desire the inspiration, support, and tools for major transformation and growth? --How about Coaching with Verena? Experience the amazing power and joy of expressing and
creating your ideal life, relationship, and/or profession. Schedule
a complimentary consultation where you get to know about our options
and where we can learn about your particular situation to see if we are
a fit! We are here
for you, whether you are just starting out, starting over, or have hit
what seems like a roadblock.
Desire a short term solution?--How
about a "Just in Time" Coaching appointment when you desire a sounding
board or feedback to create clarity around a single issu.e, situation,
or question, or when you just want a good old-fashioned pep talk?
Want a personality assessment? --How about A Colour Energy Personality Profile and a beautiful Colour Energy book as a resource?
Looking for a speaker or workshop presentation for your office or organization? Tell us what you are looking for and we'll help you out ourselves or refer you!
Don't know what you want?
--Just call, we'll listen. Telephone: 201-487-6910 EST or email:
Verena@VibrantCoach.com. For more information and links, check out our
website: Vibrant Visions International LLC.
Global and Local Access: We work
with clients in person as well as remotely.
Photo (top): Japanese Beauty Berry Bush, Reading, PA
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Indigo-Rainbow-Crystal Children Artwork
Photo: Verena's daughter, Delphine, 7, artwork. |
Quotations of the Month
"A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself he always seems to be doing both."
Thomas Henry Chmielewski:
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Vibrant Visions International LLC's
Calendar of Events & Top Picks:
VIBRANT VISIONS INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR ONLINE: Our calendar is updated daily online. Go to Vibrant Visions International LLC and click on "Calendar & Appointments" and scroll through our
calendar which we keep updated year-round. Contact information and
registration information is also listed per event. Calendar listings
also includes events hosted by professional associations such as the New Jersey Professional Coaches Association (NJPCA), New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO)-Bergen, Institute for Sustainable Enterprise, etc. Please also check their websites for latest details.
Questions? Please call 201-487-6910 or email us at Verena@VibrantCoach.com if you have any questions. Please feel free to make your private coaching appointments with Verena directly via our Online Appointment Scheduler. Additional Photos may be seen via Verena's iWeb Photo Albums: Please note that Verena's offerings are in Purple. Associates and Association listings are in red.
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PROGRAM AVAILABLE FOR YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY OR ORGANIZATION! On October 23rd, Gayle Gruenberg, CPA, Chief Executive
Organizer of Let's Get Organized LLC, ba sed in Park Ridge, and Verena
Visser Aibel, Chief Visionary of Vibrant Visions International LLC,
based in Hackensack, had a wonderful turnout and response at our premier Ladies' Night Out Talk & Tea: Lightening Up and Living Vibrantly: A Roadmap for Women in Transition!
Would you like to learn more about:
- how to create emotional space
- the emotional aspects & benefits of clutter
- transition and clutter dynamics
- how to create a vibrant life
- how to create physical space
- how to start taking
charge of your life
- what kind of organizer are
you?
- how to organizing for your brain type
BOOKINGS Being Accepted: Interested in inviting us to host this highly interactive, fun, and informative talk
& tea at YOUR local library or in-house at your company or
organization?! We're accepting books through 2009. We can easily tailor
this for mixed audiences also. Please contact Verena at 201-487-6910 or email her at Verena@VibrantCoach.com. Website: Vibrant Visions International LLC.
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11/6 /08 (Thursday) Vibrant Life Skills for Success Workshop with Verena Visser Aibel (7:00 - 8:30 pm).
Join in on an ongoing monthly gathering where participants learn how to make the most of where we are in life, experience the power of visualization, explore life challenges, and share the gifts from our experiences in a sacred and inspiring space. Experience the powerful skill of lightening up and laughing! Questions or to register: Call Verena at 201-4887-6910.
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Fee: $15.00.
Location: Carousel Healing Center & Boutique: 221 Westwood Ave., Westwood, NJ 07675 (201-722-0133), www.westwoodcarousel.com.
Next workshop: January 8th (note date change). Held monthly on the first Thursday (except in Dec.)
Photo: Great Blue Heron, Angelica Park, Reading, PA
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11/13/08 (Thursday) Shamanic Drumming Circle facilitated by Anne Wennhold, FSS, SSP, Shamanic Practitioner, (8:00 - 9:30 pm). Bi-monthly
Join in on an ongoing drumming circle where participants: Learn
Shamanic drumming techniques; experience Shamanic meditative skills;
and open to new levels of your journey. Please bring a drum or rattle
if you have one, water, a blanket or pillow, pencil, notebook and a
scarf.
Fee: $15 per person.
Questions or to Pre-Register: Please leave a message for Anne Wennhold at 201-947-9295.
Location: Carousel Healing Center & Boutique: 221 Westwood Ave., Westwood, NJ 07675 (201-722-0133), www.westwoodcarousel.com.
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 Photo: Volunteer & Counsellor at Law, Ada Lil Torres, hard at work (or play!) helping build a new playground in 4 days at the Fairmount School in Hackensack, NJ!
Funds are still needed to complete this community wide project. For more information, please check out the Fairmount Playground website. Our kids thank you!
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Photo: Din a Mouzakitis of Rudy's Restaurant in Hackensack, NJ during recent NJAWBO luncheon. Please note: there will not be a November NJAWBO luncheon.
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11/13/08 (Wednesday) NJAWBO Business Breakfast (8 am - 9:30 am).
Sponsor: New Jersey Association for Women Business Owners-
Bergen Chapter.
Location: Panera's Bakery Cafe, 165 Route 4 West
(in Kohl's Shopping Center), Paramus , NJ
2nd Thursday every month at 8:00 A.M. (check calendar)
Fee: Members: $10.00; Non-Members: $15.00 - CASH ONLY
For reservations and information, call the Bergen Chapter hotline at 201-444-8773, ext. 4 or e-mail Joanne Clark at jcwills@optonline.net or check out New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners-Bergen Chapter.
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11/19/08 (Thursday) NJAWBO Bergen DIversity 101 Dinner with our State Corporate Sponsors (5:45 pm - 9:00 pm).
Sponsor: New Jersey Association for Women Business Owners-
Bergen Chapter.
Location: Holiday Inn, 283 Route 17 South, (just past Rte 46 and Williams Avenue), Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
Fee: $45 at the door (includes dinner). Kosher meals are available.
Further information and reservations: contact dinner coordinator, Stephanie Mace, e-mail dinner@njawbobergen.org or call the Bergen Chapter Hotline at
201-444-8773, ext. 3 or visit New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners-Bergen Chapter
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11/21/08 (Friday) Cynthia Summers, Musician, Songwriter, Performance (8:00 - 10:00 pm).
Location: Riverspace Arts in Nyack, NY 119 Main Street, Nyack, NY 10960, Theater Info (845) 348-0741.
Description: The evening is part of their monthly Songwriters by the River series, which features a mix of local and national songwriters trading songs in an intimate café setting. Cynthia will be sharing the night with singer/songwriters Darren Keith and Tim O'Donohue.
Fee: Tickets are $10 in advance; $12 at the door.
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11/27/08 (Thursday) HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Please note: VIbrant Visions International LLC offices will be closed on 11/27 and 11/28. Enjoy!
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12/4/08 (Thursday) 6th Annual NJAWBO Holiday Marketplace (4:30 - 8:30 pm)
Verena will be an exhibiting and offering mini-coaching sessions w/optional Osho Zen tarot readings
Location: The Bethwood, 38 Lackawanna Avenue, Totowa, NJ 07512
Description: This event is expected to draw over 100 vendors showcase theire products and services and 400 buyers from across the state! Enjoy the Holiday Marketplace with over 100 vendors! Have your professional head-shot picture taken, have air-brushed makeup done, or get a massage (all at discounted prices). View Marketplace Theatre demos every 15 minutes on a plethora of topics. Come early to win some great early bird prizes! For details, prices and registration go to www.whoscoming.com/2008marketplace.
Photo: Robbie Matthews and Verena Visser Aibel wearing one of Robbie's designs.
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NOTE: All events are subject to change. Please call and confirm event details prior to traveling. Thank you for your understanding.
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