Endless Possibilities

Endless possibilities . . .

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

~ Mary Oliver

April 20, 2010

Hi Ladies,

Every year I love spring more. I feel a sense of new beginnings, budding possibilities and brighter horizons. For us and for the planet.

I believe that the best way to create change in the world is to change how we interact with it. That we find ways to be calmer, to be more compassionate, to be more conscious of what we say and think and do. In order to do that, we need to be comfortable with ourselves.

Learning ways to live from the inside out (rather than from the outside in) is vital if you're to live a peaceful, meaningful life. We can find tools in books, we can practice meditation, we can surround ourselves with like-minded friends and healthy relationships. We can also find inspiration, hope and new possibilities by attending retreats and workshops.

SOME NOTES ON A WOMAN'S WAY HAPPENINGS

For those who have been asking me to re-offer my Rediscovering Your Self in the Second Half of Life workshop, it has now been added to the summer calendar for July 17 & 18. Click here for details and to register.

If you struggle with money issues (and who doesn't) and would love to create a more financially abundant future, I would encourage you to register for Martha Beck's June 19 & 20 workshop, Money Making Genius for 20th Century Women. She's often referred to as "the best life coach in America today" and is just the person to help all of us create financially vibrant lives. For details and to register, click here.

Our fabulous retreat in the French countryside was full. But I just received word that we have an opening for one very fortunate woman. If you're free from September 12 - 18 and are interested in more information or registering, please click here or call me at 928-254-1897. This space will not remain open for long so call today!

If you have any ideas, thoughts or suggestions (on anything), please e-mail me at kely@awomansway.com. I love hearing from you.

Warmest spring wishes,
Karen Ely
A Woman's Way

Breathing Space . . . finding peace and clarity in a frenzied world

We are all a collection of the stories we tell ourselves

and we are the only ones who can change the story.

We are not our stories ~ they live in our mind and serve little purpose except to contain and limit us. We are so much more. When we begin to see ourselves in that light, then anything becomes possible.

Become the designer for a new and more vibrant you. Create some breathing space this week by taking quiet time to notice your thoughts. If they no longer serve you, then thank them for sharing and ask them to leave. Begin to consciously fill your mind with thoughts that do serve you ~ loving, compassionate, nurturing thoughts. Over time, you'll find that your mind becomes clearer and calmer and possibilities become brighter.

Hope and Inspiration ~ the foundations of our dreams

Is there anything better for the heart and soul than a good ole fashioned, fall off your chair, tears running down your face, belly laugh? It clears the mind (and the sinuses), enlivens the soul and brightens the day.

No writer makes me laugh the way Bill Bryson does. If you've never read one of his books, I'd encourage you to pick one up as soon as possible. I think the Chicago Sun-Times said it best, "Bill Bryson could write about dryer lint or fever reducers and still make us laugh out loud." My favorites are I'm a Stranger Here Myself and The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America.

The following is one of my favorite poems ~

THE SUMMER DAY by Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean -
the one who has flung herself out the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down -
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?