Thanksgiving Blessings

Today I give thanks for all the wonderful blessings in my life. 

For a family that I cherish more than they will ever know and for giving me a life I never thought I would have. 

Thank you for the love and joy of a lifetime!

Clarity

There is a change in my awareness, very subtle but undeniable.  

I barely have a thought that doesn't manifest in one form or another.

Big or small, it will appear in the most delightful and unexpected way.

I have always been reflective and philosophical, but now the view is so much clearer.

This is a beautiful time in my life and I appreciate every precious moment.

Life

I have proven to myself that I can be happy in any circumstance.  

That external conditions no longer dictate how I feel.

My life has been full of extremes and not only have I survived, I have thrived.

I appreciate this ever changing environment and the beautiful expansion of life.

An Elvis Girl

It was 43 years ago that Elvis Presley passed away.  I was 21 and remember exactly where I was that day.  It felt surreal to know that he was really gone.  

Throughout my entire life I was surrounded by his music and people who adored him.  

One of my fondest memories growing up was pretending I was one of the girls in his movies - Kid Galahad, Follow that Dream or Blue Hawaii. 

I loved all the music and dancing and still to this day, whenever I hear one of those songs it makes me smile and remember a wonderful time in my life.

Discovering My Authentic Self

There are just a few months until my 65th birthday and official retirement from my 30 year career.  It has been a wonderful and satisfying time and now I am looking forward to what is next for me. 

As with so many people entering this new chapter, I am taking time to reflect on just what that means for me personally.  My children are grown with full-lives and beautiful families of their own and now it is time for me to focus on my life and what I want to do. 

What I am realizing is that, I need to reacquaint myself with who I really am.  Not who I've been, not who others wanted me to be, but the true authentic person that I have become.  Time to shed the superficial and really let my true nature shine.

I know she's in there, I can feel it when I see my grandchildren smile, or hear a song that makes me cry, or laugh out loud about something silly.  There is so much joy and passion waiting to be expressed and it's time that I finally let it out in the open. 

Life is supposed to be fun - that's a message I keep hearing and yet I wonder what does that mean for me?  What I've come up with so far is that it is something different for each one of us and changes at different stages of our lives.  What was fun in my twenties is not fun to me today.  There may be parts of it that still are interesting but in a new and very different way.

I am very fortunate in that, I don't have to do anything I don't want to do and I actually realize it!  So now, it is my mission to explore and discover what it is that I really do want.  Easier said than done, so I'm researching and trusting how I feel to find those things that fit.  There is a lot of wisdom to be gained if you follow your heart and let the rest go. 

I just finished reading "The Happiness Equation" by Neil Pasricha and I loved it.  I originally picked it up while I was traveling for work but put it aside when things got too busy.  Interesting that most of what he talks about in the book is how to create more space and not be too busy.  As with all lessons, you get what you need when you are ready for them.  When I read the last few chapters it occurred to me that this was just what I needed now, not a few months ago.

He offers 3 simple but very effective ways to find your authentic self.
1.  The Saturday Morning Test - What do you do on a Saturday morning when you have nothing to do?
2.  The Bench Test - How do you feel when you put yourself in a new situation?
3.  The Five People Test - Who are the five people closest to you in the things you love most?

I smiled as I read it because it is Saturday morning and what I am doing is reading and writing about a new situation.  It makes me happy just to type that.  That feels like confirmation that I am exactly where I need to be and that the universe will always surprise and delight me with the perfect message at the perfect time.

One of my all time favorite quotes is from Sarah Ban Breathnach - The authentic self is the soul made visible.

Here's wishing that we all find a way to let our beautiful soul be seen.

Peace and Contemplation in the Pandemic

I know the pandemic has not been easy for many people and that they have many struggles to contend with.  I feel very fortunate that for me,  this has been a tremendous opportunity to reevaluate exactly what I want to do in the next chapter of my life.

I am in my sixties and have been semi-retired for the past couple of years.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to fully retire or continue working for a while longer.  The issue I was having is that I haven't enjoyed my job for a very long time.  I'm good at it and it was plentiful but very little of it was satisfying and almost all of it was stressful. 

Now, with an almost complete global shut-down, it has given me time to pause and to truly reflect on life.  I am a serious introvert so spending time alone does not bother me.  On the contrary, it is essential for me to maintain my balance.   I didn't realize just how much until we were told to stay in. 

It has been a relief not to be required to be anywhere.  I have had no issues getting food and supplies delivered to my home.  As a matter of fact, I will probably continue this long after this crisis has passed.  I don't like to shop and this has been such a great way to get everything I need.

My daughters have worried that I might become too much of a hermit, but it truly is my happy place.  I have so many projects that keep me busy so I am never bored and have enough interaction with my family and friends that I don't feel lonely.  Isolation is just not an issue for me.  If anything, it has given me a chance to catch my breath and take time just for me.

Now, with the world slowly reopening, I have to think about what I want to do going forward.  What I do know, is that whatever it is, it will have to be what makes me happy.  Nothing else will do!

More Joy and Satisfaction

• Practice more deliberate intent before I act
• Pay attention to how I feel
• Appreciate all of the abundance I have right now
• Trust the process and get ready for what’s next
• Focus more on my heart’s desire and less on outside events
• Remind myself that contrast does not need to be painful
• Acknowledge all that is in the process of becoming
• Look for thoughts that are in harmony with me
• Have more fun