Day 323: Conversations with . . . myself?

I started reading a new book from the library, recently.
Well, the book is old - published in 1998 - but it's new to me.

It's called Conversations with God. 

I'd heard the title before various times in passing, recommended amongst other books (most likely by my iPEC coaching community). But it wasn't until last month that I actually requested it from the library.
[This was after much deliberation of which book to select - there appeared to be 3 volumes! 'Does it matter which I read first? Oh, book 3 is available at the library branch nearest me? Sure, I'll go with that one!']

And then once I picked it up, it sat untouched in my apartment for a few more weeks.

Finally, on January 2nd, I cracked it open. 
I was instantly drawn in.
And quickly proceeded to have my mind blown, consistently, in just the first 8 pages.

"What the heck?!"
My heart rate had picked up and I was experiencing a mixture of excitement, disbelief, joy, happiness, and just a sprinkle of fear.

"This is confirming everything I've learned through coach training! Everything I've come to realize through my own experiences with coaching!! Everything I've thought and hypothesized about regarding current social institutions and practices that don't quite sit well with me . . .!!!"

In short, my world was getting rocked.
And I was in the right place, time, mindset, and perspective to receive it.

I was experiencing the direction that I had chosen for my life, reveal truths to me that delighted my soul and filled me with joy.

It felt as if I was having the conversation with God myself, right as I was reading.

As much as I could have tried, I couldn't write these sensations off as 'just feelings from something somebody wrote.'
I knew the words were true. 
But there was something still deeper.
It was as if I was finally feeling that I was true.
That what I yearn to contribute and put out in the world is exactly what the world needs.
That - and stay with me here - I already know the so called 'secrets to life.'

What's that?! Sarah knows the secrets to life?!!!
Well, where's she been hiding them?!

'Well, I don't really know them, I haven't perfected them or my life or anything. But I know what they are . . .'

CUTTTTT!
Let's end that scene right here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

I know the secrets to life - a happy life.
I have not mastered them, but I know what they are.
And that's all I need - to know what they are.
Because after knowing, it's all practice anyway.

This knowledge isn't a secret.
It's open and available to everyone.
And really, it's quite basic.
But sometimes the most basic things prove the most difficult.

Why is that?

Because we get in our own way.
We get in our own way with life and happiness, in general.

Because we don't trust or truly get to know ourselves.

That is it my friends. That's the secret - getting to know your full self.

For the past year, my suspicion of this has been growing stronger and stronger. But still I doubted.
"What if other people don't believe me? Don't believe it's true?"
"I don't know how to convince them."

But here I am, with the 'randomly' selected book volume that has strengthened my trust in myself and belief in what I know. 

Lucky me, I don't need to convince anyone of anything.
I just get to share the information.

Day 322: Honey Bee-Ess

I was reading a news email and came upon the article summary below:

What's creating a buzz... This new vaccine. Yesterday, the Agriculture Dept gave the green light to the world’s first vaccine for honeybees. For context: one-third of the global food supply relies on pollination, and healthy commercial hives are essential to secure high crop yields. But the colonies had no protection against diseases that regularly wiped them out. It really stung. Now, a biotech company has developed a vaccine containing bacteria that is ingested by the queen, deposited in her ovaries, and ultimately gives immunity to developing larvae as they hatch. It will only be available to commercial beekeepers. The developer is calling it a “breakthrough” in protecting honeybees" that can positively impact food production on a global scale.

If I had zero previous knowledge on the bee population I probably would have thought this sounded great.

But I do have a tiny bit of prior knowledge.

And it's enough to leave me feeling very disgusted and down hearted.

What the summary above conveniently fails to mention is that the honey bee population is experiencing it's steep decline and danger largely because of the agriculture industry. Specifically, the fertilizers and pesticides they have adopted and evolved over the past few decades and use widely today.

If the chemicals that are being used to treat the crops we ingest are KILLING bees, what does that say about our health?

How does pumping bees full of more chemicals actually solve the problem?

It doesn't.

It just masks the symptoms of the problem.

It just puts a Band-Aid over an ugly spot.

The solution to the problem of the declining bee population, amongst many other environmental concerns, lies with us.

It lies within our ability to truly love - ourselves, each other, and the world we live in.

Better doesn't come without change, without growing pains.

If we are unwilling do something different than what we've grown to know, we will never live in a world better than it is now.

I highly encourage you to get informed on the matters of the world that impact your life 'indirectly', because it is these areas that will ultimately cause the most damage.

Here's an article to get you started.

If you are looking for a legitimate organization to support and learn from, I strongly recommend the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). They have a proven track record of success in legal battles advocating for the environment and show no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Each of us can make a difference - no matter how small it seems.

What will you do?

Day 321: I Love Writing

I love writing - and making art in general - because I never really know where it's going to take me.

I'll start writing with a topic/key point in mind and by the middle or near end I often find myself on a narrative path I wouldn't have expected (though not always).

Thoughts along the lines of

''Whoa, that took a turn in a different direction. Huh..."

are not uncommon during my writing process.

And that is what I love so much!

The discovery and effortless (almost imperceptible) exploration.

Of ideas.

Of thoughts.

Of mindsets.

Of perspectives.

The hallmark component of any true "Sarah Story" telling is the curvy, random path one is led down in an effort to gather ALL of the 'absolutely necessary' details required to make it to the moral/point of the story . . . which can only occur at the very end (once all hope of there even being a point - by some - has been lost).

Knowing this about my storytelling, it makes a lot of sense why I would enjoy writing for the same reason. Though, thankfully, with writing it's a bit easier to be more concise, however minor.

 

Creating delight (even if it is just for myself) from unexpected direction and perspective that springs from open exploration.

This is my story style.

This is my writing style.

This is my way of being - to a large degree.

And I love it.

Day 320: 2023 - The Year of . . .

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|         CHANGE         |
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After my last coaching session of 2022, Audrey sent me a few questions to answer as I reflected on the past year.

If 2022 were a chapter in my book of life, what would the title be?
INTENTION

Looking ahead, what will I call the coming chapter of 2023?
CHANGE

I'm not just embracing change this year - I'm initiating it

I'm initiating changes necessary to:

• experience life in a way that feels the very best yet
• cultivate, grow & sustain my relationships to levels that support and energize me
• leave behind insecurities and limiting beliefs that hold me back from working towards my dreams
• see the awesome person I really am on a regular basis 
• read: appreciate myself & become more and more of my own best friend

What is this your year of?

And what do you want to do about it?

Have an idea, but don't know how to get started?  No worries, I got you! 

Connect with me here and we'll get your wheels moving.

Day 319: To Be Heard

Many people in this world feel overlooked.

Many people in this world feel unheard -

That they don't have a voice;

Or that their voice doesn't matter.

This is a super disempowering feeling.

And when one feels this way, it is often just a stone's throw away from experiencing beatdown and resentment.

Feeling wronged by others.

Feeling a victim of circumstance.

Feeling powerless and without choice.

This is a very difficult headspace to be in.

This is an even harder headspace to get out of.

But you know what makes it a boatload easier to navigate and overcome?

Focusing one's attention on the areas that make the greatest impact.

To be heard requires others.

But first, it requires hearing oneself.

And to truly hear oneself requires acknowledgement, honesty, and bravery.

To be heard requires acknowledging that one is worth hearing.

That one's voice is valuable.

That one's voice matters;

That one's thoughts, feelings, and opinions matter.

To be heard requires honesty with oneself about what the message really is.

Not what one wants others to do.

Not what one is seeking.

But what one is feeling.

To hear oneself requires bravery -

to be vulnerable;

to go deep inside and uncover what one truly desires and the hidden beliefs that are keeping things out of alignment.

It is often thought that 'to be heard' is to:

be the loudest in the room

to have the most power

to exert the most force.

This approach may work for some, but it is not sustainable or long lasting. And when speaking from this place it is common to create a space of judgement and blame. Thus, being met with frequent resistance and force.

But we have another option.

We can choose to speak from a place of personal understanding and awareness, truth, and intention.

When these factors combine we create space for consideration and openness:

- the key ingredients for effective communication and progress.

We can't control others.

We can't make others listen if they don't want to.

But we can present our message in a new way.

 

A way that, rather than being brushed aside and ignored, makes people stop and take note.

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Want to put these ideas into practice?

Consider personal coaching to transform how you experience life! Learn more by booking an introductory coaching session here.

Day 318: Vision Board Party

Party Supply List

• Poster board (x4)
  
• Dbl stick tape
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Wine
• Nice new year's notebooks X4
• 2 Pizzas
• Lots of veggies - 1
• Meat / veg - 1

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I had a vision board party with my closest friends days before the close of the year.

As we chatted and reminisced, my friends shared memorable characteristics and traits about me that they think of fondly.

In addition to this being incredibly flattering and heartwarming, it revealed to me something I had not been able to clearly see before.

I am memorable and noticeable.

 

By and large, until this party, I believed that I was rarely either of these things. And I believed this view was shared by others.

In thinking such a thing, my own endeavors of reaching various goals or persuing deeply held dreams have been greatly impacted.

And not in a good way.

They've been incredibly challenging.

In fact, for pretty much the entirety of 2022, I've been working on breaking down and overcoming my fear of 'being seen' as I navigate a new path of coaching and personal development.

Little did I realize, the only person blind to me was myself. And the obstacle I was actually trying to overcome - was Me.

It took some of my favorite people reflecting back aspects of Sarah that they enjoy and receive happiness from, for it to solidly 'click' that people really do know me.

People take an interest in me.

People value me and how they feel around me.

For the majority of my life, I've unknowingly believed that if no one says anything [to you/about you - in a positive regard], then you aren't noticed; That it takes outward acknowledgment to be noticed or remembered.

That's not true.

External validation is nice and feels great, but it is not the judge that determines a person's worth, impact or value.

That's internal validation's job.

And, boy oh boy, am I glad I've learned a thing or two about getting that motor running again.

I think it's common to experience a break down in ability to self-validate, to see oneself - especially when growing up in a western culture. (But seeing as I've only known the western mindset, I'd love to hear if this is true in other cultures as well.)

But the ability does not have to stay broken.

It can be rebuilt.

Strengthened.

Empowered.

And when that happens we become better able to see ourselves as others do. Through the lens of love and appreciation.

Oh my goodness, if I always saw myself the way my friends viewed me - I'd be unstoppable! If I could see myself on the pedestal of goodness my friends did, I would seldom doubt my abilities.

It's easy to see goodness and greatness in others (at least that's my experience). It's harder to see it in ourselves.

This begins to change when we start investing time in ourselves 

- our inner selves.

The parts we can't see, but can absolutely feel.

I am memorable and noticeable.

 

There is no lack there - in that statement.

Yet, it wouldn't have come to the surface if the spotlight hadn't first been shined internally.

If the [self] awareness hadn't been built.

If the [self] judgement hadn't been greatly defused.

Perhaps in this new year we shift ourselves to the forefront of our own priorities.

Perhaps we challenge our interpretation of self lack, in all it's many forms.

Perhaps we explore how life opens up when we willing and intentionally step into that which we are - the very things we fear we lack.

I am memorable and noticeable.

You are memorable and noticeable.

We are memorable and noticeable.

And we are - ALL of us - greater than we could ever imagine.

Here's to having the courage to consider it could be true. And then, fully and finally, embracing it.

Here's to us and all we are, both realized and yet to be, in 2023!

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Interested in learning how to better uncover your greatness?
Connect with me to learn how personal coaching can benefit you!

Day 317: This dating game show isn't for you

Strive to find others that align with who you are,

rather than trying to fit into someone else's box.

Happy New Year!