Showing posts with the tag “Optimism”

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• April 7, 2020
  7Apr2020

  Centering in the Time of Corona: The Work of Optimism

  

  Life itself is always a trial. In training, you must test and polish yourself in order to face the greatest challenges of life.

  ~Morihei Ueshiba, Founder of Aikido

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  In this time of uncertainty and unsettledness, but also of surprising kindness, generosity, and creativity, I’m reminded about the importance of centering and true power. 

  Centering—the ability to access our clarity, flexibility, stability, and compassion. A mind-body state of calm at the center of the storm.

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  True power—the ability to achiever purpose, to turn obstacles into energy and resistance into connection.

  In my work, I teach these concepts through aikido activities I learned from my teacher, Thomas Crum, many years ago. They offer a physical grounding in these concepts and a path to presence and personal power, which are especially important in difficult moments.

  Just like you probably, I've had some amazing ki moments in the past month, and my emotional energy has gone through its ups and downs. Below are links that I hope will help you return to center, and to see the opportunities available to you every day.

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• March 24, 2020
  24Mar2020

  Not Cancelled: Love

  

  It's good to do uncomfortable things. It's weight training for life.

  --Anne Lamott

  Things have changed. The world is not the way it was a month ago. 

  • The pool is closed, swim teams canceled, my daily swim on hold.
  • Aikido classes canceled.
  • Public Library closed.
  • Workshops canceled.
  • Church canceled.
  • Grocery store shelves with holes where canned goods and paper products used to be.
  • Many losing jobs and worried about the next meal.

  And yet....

  • Calls with family increase exponentially, making sure we're all healthy and that Mom is safe.
  • Daily routine more relaxed, less stressed.
  • Learning to work virtually, be more creative.
  • Long walks, hikes, and rambles in the warming weather, strangers smiling and waving at me.
  • Families playing outside together.
  • Restaurants, businesses and residents pitching in to help neighbors and others who need food and assistance.
  • Reading a lot, my pile of "someday" books dwindling.
  • Quiet time-yes!
  • My suitcase unpacked!
  • Church on Facebook Live!

  An inspiring graphic from WeAreUnsinkable.com appeared by way of my sister, Paula, on Facebook last week, and it helped me regain some perspective....

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• November 19, 2019
  19Nov2019

  Gratitude--A Path to Center

  

  I've written often over the years about gratitude as a path to the centered state. When I catch myself feeling uncentered and think of something I'm grateful for, I get lighter, happier, and clearer about my next step.

  In my CD, Simple Gifts: Making the Most of Life's Ki Moments, the story about Mimi--my Aunt Mary--is a great example of a woman who practiced gratitude when a bad break at an early age might have pushed her toward negativity and depression. Her ongoing choice to be grateful for what she had, rather than sad about what she didn't, not only made her life more joyful--her choice rubbed off on all around her, especially me. Read the story here. Or you can purchase the CD, which is on sale now on my website as part of the "Conflict as Opportunity" bundle of gifts that include all my books and CDs. 

  A Path to Center

  Thinking about Mimi makes me go deeper and look for more people and things I'm grateful for but sometimes take for granted....

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• November 20, 2018
  20Nov2018

  Celebrate Gratitude This Week

  

  I'm grateful to the folks at VIA Institute on Character for today's post. I use the VIA Character Strengths profile in my coaching and training to help clients maximize strengths such as honesty, bravery, love of learning, creativity, curiosity, forgiveness, and zest. According to VIA research, there are 24, and one of my top strengths is gratitude. 

  I invite you to practice gratitude this week. Be more aware today of the good things that happen to you. And enjoy this post from the VIA institute:

  Celebrate Your Strength of Gratitude

  You know that feeling when something "goes your way", like getting a good spot in a a crowded parking lot or discovering an item you really want on sale. It might be quick and fleeting, but what you probably feel is a brief moment of gratitude. "Thank you for this small victory!" ...

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• November 22, 2016
  22Nov2016

  What Are You Grateful For? Name One Thing

  

  Every year at this time, I write a post on gratitude. I could just keep repeating the same post: What are you grateful for--family, friends, work, pets, quality of life, peace of mind? If you look around, there's probably at least one thing you can be thankful for. And once you name that one thing, another will probably spring to mind, and then another. And pretty soon you're feeling pretty good.

  Today, I'm grateful my mother is a happy, healthy and active 91-year-old. I'm thankful my family and I worked together to support her recent transition to a wonderful supportive living facility in Illinois. I feel healthy, have a roof over my head, am married to a man I love, enjoy my work, and have a mind that can think and write and be present to this ki moment....

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• June 7, 2016
  7Jun2016

  Single Most Important Thing To Manage Stress

  

  
  "The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another."
  --William James, American psychologist

  
  A good friend sent me a great YouTube link recently -- a visual lecture titled: The Single Most Important Thing You Can Do To Manage Stress, by Dr. Mike Evans.

  Any guesses as to what the single most important thing might be?

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• June 1, 2009
  1Jun2009

  Ki Moments June 2009

  Why do we spend so much time in the past or the future? What is wrong with this moment?

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