Category: What Has Become Clear

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What has become clear…

Although this is the week before Christmas, the pace of life has not slowed. All of this is perfect yes and I have been neglecting my blog. I am committed to being intentional as this season approaches, and in that intention attracting all that is perfect for me. Now to put this into action.

This past Monday I had the pleasure of joining a Book Club, a group of six women who meet weekly and who are currently reading and discussing ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die. I first met this group in late September. They have not only been reading, they have also been doing the work suggested (the exercises) in the book. There were many questions of me, which both thrilled me and served as a roadSIGN as to the importance of what ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die represents.

What has become clear is:
– that stepping onto the ME FIRST Journey takes a great deal of courage
– how difficult it is for people to know what it is they want
– that wants are generally not for the material things in life, but for the quality of life issues – relationships, how I treat myself, meaning, and so on
– that boundaries, saying YES to oneself and NO to others, continues to be a significant challenge
– that FEAR continues to hold people back from living some of their dreams and that FEAR is different for everyone
– that the self-critic often rules and along with FEAR, spews off a number of self-limiting thoughts – the Old Story
– that acknowledging oneself is a challenge for many

I am sure there were other lessons that showed up during the discussion. I believe I have captured the essence however. I am enormously grateful to these courageous women for inviting me to join them and to dive into the important ME FIRST lessons. They allowed me to witness the ‘waking up process’ in their lives. I feel blessed and humbled to be called to do this work and to share the journeys of so many of you.

At the end of the meeting we all raced out of the house to head to the center of town to see the Olympic torch run. Several hundred Morrisburg residents lined the streets, enthusiastically greeting the entourage that preceded the torch bearer. As the flame approached, I held the Canadian flag, lent to me by Robin, high, feeling the emotion and pride of being a Canadian and for the first time, excitement for the upcoming winter Olympics.

A few minutes later as I negotiated my way through the clogged streets, I reflected on how blessed I am. I said a silent prayer for the Copenhagen Summit, for Mother Earth and her recovery,  and for Peace. And I was reminded that when each of us, you and I, find peace within and care for our own internal environment, we do the same for the world. In the end it begins with us and so it is!

Until next time….

Betty

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What has become clear…

Although this is the week before Christmas, the pace of life has not slowed. All of this is perfect yes and I have been neglecting my blog. I am committed to being intentional as this season approaches, and in that intention attracting all that is perfect for me. Now to put this into action.

This past Monday I had the pleasure of joining a Book Club, a group of six women who meet weekly and who are currently reading and discussing ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die. I first met this group in late September. They have not only been reading, they have also been doing the work suggested (the exercises) in the book. There were many questions of me, which both thrilled me and served as a roadSIGN as to the importance of what ME FIRST – If I Should Wake Before I Die represents.

What has become clear is:
– that stepping onto the ME FIRST Journey takes a great deal of courage
– how difficult it is for people to know what it is they want
– that wants are generally not for the material things in life, but for the quality of life issues – relationships, how I treat myself, meaning, and so on
– that boundaries, saying YES to oneself and NO to others, continues to be a significant challenge
– that FEAR continues to hold people back from living some of their dreams and that FEAR is different for everyone
– that the self-critic often rules and along with FEAR, spews off a number of self-limiting thoughts – the Old Story
– that acknowledging oneself is a challenge for many

I am sure there were other lessons that showed up during the discussion. I believe I have captured the essence however. I am enormously grateful to these courageous women for inviting me to join them and to dive into the important ME FIRST lessons. They allowed me to witness the ‘waking up process’ in their lives. I feel blessed and humbled to be called to do this work and to share the journeys of so many of you.

At the end of the meeting we all raced out of the house to head to the center of town to see the Olympic torch run. Several hundred Morrisburg residents lined the streets, enthusiastically greeting the entourage that preceded the torch bearer. As the flame approached, I held the Canadian flag, lent to me by Robin, high, feeling the emotion and pride of being a Canadian and for the first time, excitement for the upcoming winter Olympics.

A few minutes later as I negotiated my way through the clogged streets, I reflected on how blessed I am. I said a silent prayer for the Copenhagen Summit, for Mother Earth and her recovery,  and for Peace. And I was reminded that when each of us, you and I, find peace within and care for our own internal environment, we do the same for the world. In the end it begins with us and so it is!

Until next time….

Betty

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What has become clear

My intention to record daily intentions on my blog has not manifested, not that intentions are not a daily practice for me, it has simply been a scheduling issue.

It is my practice to begin each day intentionally, taking a few precious moments before I get out of bed to consider the day in front of me, who will cross my path, what is on the schedule, and to decide how I want to ‘BE’ in each circumstance. All this said, my intentions are generally not recorded any other way, yet I know this to be a powerful practice.

Yesterday, I facilitated the second day of our most recent ME FIRST Retreat. I am immensely grateful for this work and the call to serve in this way. I believe that coaching saves lives, the notion of ‘waking up before we die’ much larger than I could have conceived it to be when I first began writing the book and delivering the ME FIRST programs.

As one participant described yesterday, “Following our first ME FIRST day something inside m cracked open. It’s like I am eating through the layers to finally finding myself for the first time. And when I started doing so, the relationships around me began to change too, with my husband and kids, even with my students. Being clear about what I want for me, opens the door for others as well.”

During the day I was also reminded of the Hawaiian tradition of Ho’oponopono, which means to make right, with the ancestors, or with the people with whom you have relationships. Ho’oponopono is a powerful forgiveness tool, which releases the energy that becomes tied up when we are unable to move forward in our relationships with others. In healing these relationships, we can call another person into our vision and then follow this simple four step process:

  1. Say I love you
  2. I’m sorry
  3. Please forgive me
  4. Thank you

So simple yet powerful. Check out the research which has been conducted in this regard. Better still try this yourself with a relationship that you want to shift.

 As so often happens, my great teachers are those whom I teach. Rarely do I facilitate a retreat day without experiencing my own AHA’s, and I think this really is the essence of ME FIRST. To find that quiet space inside oneself and lay claim to it allows space for possibility, provides a new lens through which to view life, fosters clarity and builds relationships, not only with oneself, but with others. This is what has become clear to me!

Until next time…

Betty